Twisted Moon
by Silver Phoenix7
Summary: A chance meeting with a strange woman, triggers a wild series of events that change Kagome's life...maybe for the better. S/K
1. A Strange Acquaintance

Hi, this is my new story Twisted Moon. I have no idea how this story is going to do. I'm going to tell you now that this story will not be updated regularly. Chapters will go up when the need strikes me. I'm working on No Such Thing as Fate right now and I have classes too. NSTF had priority right now until I get closer to the end, which I don't see happening anytime soon. This is just some fun for me and hopefully you'll enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing it. This is a Sesshomaru/Kagome story. This has not been edited but if you see problems, point 'em out and I'll fix them. Like my other story, I will work on Kagome's character first then Sesshomaru will show up to reap his havoc.

**Twisted Moon**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the Inuyasha characters except those I make up and I don't own any of Rumiko Takahashi's work. Please don't sue me.

Summary: A chance meeting with a strange magic wielding woman, triggers a series of events that blow Kagome's mind and change her life...maybe for the better.

Chapter 1: A strange acquaintance.

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Kagome peeked around the tree curiously at her sleeping camp mates. No one stirred despite the awkward noises she made in her attempt to pull up her sweat pants. She loved the forest and she loved feeling the air against her bare legs as they traveled, however she didn't like being bitten up by mosquitoes and itching like all hell as she wandered through the brush in her school uniform. With a sigh, she made a few half hops and pulled the pants up over her hips and up to her stomach. She let the elastic waistband sit on her stomach and pulled the drawstrings to make it tighter.

With a grin, she put her hands on her hips and struck a pose. She stayed that way for all of 5 seconds before giggling to herself and pulling the pants down to a more comfortable fit around her waist. She reached for a branch that hung low on its respective tree. Her nightshirt hung from the branch dangling playfully in her face.

She walked closer and stood on her toes in an attempt to pull the shirt free. It was easy getting the shirt up there, it was getting it down without ripping it that made this all the more frustrating. Kagome tugged at the top a few times and only managed to shake free specks of bark. The branch creaked its displeasure and Kagome stopped afraid she would wake Inuyasha, or even worse, Shippou.

She turned and peeked back into the camp. Inuyasha was dangling like a wet rag from his branch, his face was set in that forever-present frown and his lips were puckered in a manner that suggested he was eating a lemon in his dreams. Kagome shook her head amused and looked to the lump in her sleeping bag. He moved with each gentle breath and she wondered if Shippou would notice she was gone. He was certainly sleeping well without her.

Sango was stretched out on top of a sleeping bag Kagome had provided for the older girl. After almost six months carrying the thing, Sango still refused to actually sleep _in_ the bag. Kagome figured it was some kind of warrior instinct that demanded she be able to move at a moment's notice.

Miroku was laying directly opposite of Sango. The Tajiya had knocked him out with a sharp left hook but he had settled into a deep restful sleep for the night.

Kirara…was missing.

Kagome stepped into the camp and looked around for the fire cat thinking she had over looked the female. With another sweep of the area, she realized that Kirara was indeed missing.

She didn't blame Kirara. Kagome's plan for the next hour had been to wander around near the camp and work off some stress and energy so she could sleep, she didn't see why Kirara wouldn't be allowed to do the same but she was still worried. The fire cat never left her mistresses side.

Kagome looked back at her dangling nightshirt and shrugged. Her uniform shirt worked just fine, she could get it down when she came back. Taking up her bow and arrows, she stepped into the forest near where she had last seen Kirara and looked around. She walked further in.

"Kirara?" She whispered.

Hearing no response she wandered further into the forest.

The soft sounds of the forest soothed her and gave her confidence to keep going. She knew for a fact that those cliché movie dramas where everything got quiet just before the shit hit the fan were in fact real and helpful for helping you survive.

Something rustled in the bushery followed by a squeak. Kagome paused when Kirara sauntered out of the forest dragging a rather large rat with her.

"I was looking for you. Midnight snack?"

Kirara gave a soft mew and glanced back at her capture. Kagome sat down and Kirara dragged the rat over to Kagome. She dropped it before the Miko and nudged it toward her. Kagome blushed and fought the urge to coo.

"Aww thanks, Kirara but," her smile fell and Kirara blinked at her with giant red eyes, "I can't eat that, it's your food," Kagome laughed nervously. Kirara took no offense, and with a visible shrug, she dug into her meal. Kagome stood and glanced around the area. It was actually nice and clean and she could see the stars clearly through the canopy.

"I was thinking of doing a little wandering, would you go with me?"

Kirara licked her maw and looked at the young Miko. Kagome glanced around for the dead rat and found no trace it had ever been there. With a shrug, she looked back to Kirara. The fire cat trotted over and looked to her for instruction. Kagome nodded to herself, "Let's go that way."

She started into the forest and Kirara followed. Kagome didn't find much of interest. A few warped trees and some random herbs later Kagome was bored and tired, "Ready to go back?"

Kirara mewed and turned prepared to lead her back to camp. Kagome paused and Kirara perked up. A flash in the forest caught Kagome's attention. Her gaze darted toward the light and she saw a blur moving though the forest. Kagome blinked rapidly and darted for the nearest tree to hide behind. Kirara joined her. The cat scrambled up the tree bark and hopped onto her shoulder.

Kagome ignored her to pay attention to what was happening in the forest. The blur appeared again in another area and a second blur appeared soon after she spotted the first. The second blur was definitely youkai but she wasn't quite sure about the first. The first blur was moving for the river and its attacker was simply following. Kagome glanced over her shoulder in the direction she had bathed earlier that night where another part of the river flowed.

She looked back toward the chase happening in the forest, there was another flash of light. Kagome wasn't sure who it came from but there was a crack telling Kagome it was probably an attack. she caught a glimpse of long black hair before both blurs vanished again. Kagome closed her eyes and found that the chase was still moving for the river.

Kagome pulled an arrow from the quiver and raced toward the river. She burst onto the narrow riverbank and closed her eyes again ignoring Kirara's mew of protest. She found the direction of the fight and raced along the riverbank. The bank suddenly spread into a rather large clearing. Kagome was rather surprised she'd beaten them to the bank but she wasn't complaining. She ducked into a bush and waited. A woman in a Kimono ran from the forest. She was rather short, coming only to Kagome's shoulder but lean and beautiful. Her Kimono was royal purple dancing with pink butterflies and her hair was pulled into a high ponytail. Kagome thought she was a Hime of some kind until she saw the woman's bear feet. There was an expression of determination on her face, not of fear. In her hand, was rather thick stick carved intricately with designs and decorated with leaves and a bell that didn't make a sound even as she swung it around in her frantic race. Suddenly she fell and did a sliding face plant stopping when she could see her reflection in the river.

The woman ground her teeth in pain and rolled over revealing a tear in the first layer of her kimono and a busted lip. Kagome cringed in sympathy and moved to go help her when the demon burst from the forest. The demon closely resembling a young man but his face contorted in rage and warped into something frightful.

The woman waved her stick and for the first time Kagome heard the bells ring. There was a flash of light and the demon suddenly vanished and reappeared to continue his attack. The woman continued to fling attacks at the demon that was slowly closing in on her. Kagome paused uncertainly, not so sure this woman actually needed help.

The demon was very close now. The woman stopped attacking suddenly and turned to the river. The demon sped up and Kagome let her arrow fly before she could catch herself. It flew rapidly, lighting up the area with her power. Both the demon and the woman looked at the projectile startled. The demon jumped back to avoid being hit and the woman flung herself into the river.

The arrow flew into a tree and the light faded. The demon blinked dazed before rushing to the river. He gave a snarl of outrage and turned intent on finding the one who had stopped his attack. He spun on his heel and started directly for Kagome. Licking her lips, Kagome pulled another arrow from the quiver.

There was a crack. Both the demon and Kagome blinked. Kagome's mouth opened in horror when a pillar of water burst from the river. It curved in mid air and shot at the male demon. He turned with a cry. Kagome had already snatched Kirara from her shoulder. She stuffed the fire cat under her shirt and leaned over to shield her from the oncoming attack.

The pillar of water hit the demon and he flew. His back met the tree Kagome had been hiding behind. Water exploded on impact with the tree and smacked into Kagome like someone was spraying her with a water hose. The water roared continuing to pound against the tree and Kagome's form. The torrent suddenly stopped like a faucet had been cut off and Kagome looked up blinking rapidly. Kirara peeked out from her collar and looked around curiously.

A hand appeared from the river followed by another. The woman gave a loud gasp and pulled herself from the water. She took a moment to catch her breath before she lifted her stick and waved it again. The plant life near Kagome suddenly came to life. All of it lunged around the tree and Kagome heard an angry roar. Kagome stumbled away from the waving vegetation and hid behind a tree that hadn't started moving randomly.

She realized it was stupid to duck behind a tree but she was so stunned by what she had just witnessed, she couldn't bring herself to see logic just yet. "You are one annoying demon." the woman commented tiredly.

"You evil bitch. Take this curse off me right now!"

"No, to never touch a human again for your meals, I think it's fitting you can never touch your staple food again." The demon snarled and fought against his bindings.

"There are other things to eat demon," She sighed as if talking to an unruly child.

"I'll eat your heart witch!"

"Hold your tongue demon. You're an idiot, trying to deceive the one who was going to lift your curse. I asked for a specific payment and you swore you could pay it." She sneered.

He snarled something unintelligible.

Kagome peeked around the tree at the scene unfolding before her.

The witch pulled out a knife and pointed it at the demon who glared at her defiantly.

"Now I need compensation for you wasting my time, my effort to help an idiot, and for you chasing me around the forest trying to kill me." She calmly brandished the blade before her captive.

"I need some ingredients for a spell, I need a demons paw, an eye, and a lock of hair. Which should I take from you?" she cooed.

He gave a sharp bark and strained against his bindings. The vines snapped only to be quickly replace by more. He paused and took deep breaths.

"I'm too tired to deal with you," She announced suddenly.

Before anyone could blink, she waved her stick around and the demon was sinking into the ground. He looked around confused and began to scream angrily at the woman, refusing to acknowledge the unholy fear that she was burying him alive. The ground swallowed him up. The woman heaved a tired sigh and turned. She started toward a rather large rock sitting at the banks edge.

"I know you're there little Miko," She called before sinking into a sitting position on the stone. She lifted a heavy wet sleeve and brushed dark hair from her face. Kagome swallowed nervously and crawled for the bow she had dropped earlier. She took it in her hands and stood. Kagome stepped from the forest, her head tilted slightly as she tried to appear confident.

The woman glanced up and snorted. Kagome knew then she had failed in her attempt and so she let her shoulders sag. She glanced to the spot where the demon had just been.

"Did you kill him?"

The woman glanced up her black eyes shining. "I didn't, merely locked him up until I can find the strength to deal with him properly. Does that displease you Miko, He is but a foolish youkai. I won't lose much by simply killing him now?"

Kagome shook her head quickly, "No, no that's okay."

The witch motioned for Kagome to come closer and Kagome did so hesitantly.

When Kagome was within comfortable speaking distance, the woman glanced up. Her eyes flashed with amusement when she spotted the fire cat poking her head from Kagome's shirt. Kagome glanced down and Kirara peeked up at her curiously.

"So what do you want?"

"Eh?"

"What do you want girl," The witch repeated with an annoyed glance. "You helped me for a wish right. You have asked that price of me for your assistance. I must go out of my way to grant some wish of yours to repay my debt. That is the way of witches. You receive something and you give something."

Kagome blinked "Oh, that's pretty cool. You grant wishes like a leprechaun or like celestial maidens or something."

The witch blinked rapidly at Kagome, "Are you stupid or something girl?"

Kagome flushed angrily, "I am not stupid. I actually consider myself pretty well off in the brains department!"

"Then why did you help me?"

Kagome sputtered in confusion, "Because you were being attacked, what was I supposed to do?"

"So you saved me to get your wish." The witch pointed out.

"I had no idea you could grant wishes until you blurted it out!" Kagome retorted.

The witch stared at her a long moment then raised an eyebrow, "What kind of Miko are you that you don't know something so simple?"

Kagome's face fell, "I'm leaving," she announced dully.

"Calm yourself girl. You don't have your wish." The witch grumbled waving a hand back and forth. Kagome turned back around and glared at the female that was suddenly eyeing, not her, but Kirara in rapt interest. She licked her lips like a child eagerly awaiting a treat, "let me see your kitty there and I'll stop picking on you."

Kagome made a face, "Then you can continue to make fun of me because I'm not letting you see Kirara. I'm sure she won't appreciate it and neither will Sango-chan."

The woman scratched her cheek thoughtfully as if confused.

"Right, I'll figure out how to get your kitty somehow. Humans are all the same; give up something small for power and all is right in the world," Kagome's face flushed in anger.

"You can't have Kirara-chan, she is going back to Sango and that's that!"

"I'm not going to keep her. I just want to examine her, maybe take a few whiskers."

Kirara gave an indignant hiss and Kagome wrapped her arms around her chest, and Kirara, protectively.

"No!"

"What a stubborn human." She huffed and tapped delicate pointed human nail against her own cheek, "Just tell me what your wish is and we can move on with our lives." The witch closed her eyes to wait. She heard the crunch of grass and then there was silence.

When she opened her eyes again, she caught a glimpse of Kagome vanishing into the forest. She blinked stunned and smiled amused.

"What a cute little Miko. She really had no idea." Her smile fell, "But now I have to chase the little brat around until I repay my debt. This should be fun."

Moments later the clearing was empty.

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"Kagome?"

"Hmmm?"

"Why is Kirara hiding in your shirt?"

Kagome looked down at the fire cat who peeked up at her with what kagome would say was an innocent expression. Shippou looked a bit miffed by Kirara's sudden love for Kagome and Inuyasha and Miroku only stared. Inuyasha's frown and Miroku's perverted grin told her a lot of what was running through their minds. Kagome looked back to Sango as the older girl dished out dinner, Ramen, everyone's favorite.

Miroku took his bowl with a sigh and Inuyasha happily began to inhale his meal.

"I- ugh- don't know."

Sango looked skeptical, "She used to hide in my kimono when I was younger but she hasn't for a while now," Sango commented off handedly.

Kagome looked to Kirara silently willing the fire cat to move.

Kirara's claws caught in Kagome's bra making her flinch.

"Hey, I don't know what the hell your problem is Kirara but get out of there," Inuyasha demanded of the fire demoness. Kirara shot him a stare before pointedly looking away. The Inu hanyou bristled in anger.

"Kirara…" Sango began only to be cut off.

"I didn't know cats could be little bitches too."

Everyone's jaw dropped, nobody ever started fights with Kirara but they could all see it coming, Kagome moreso than the others and she could see the argument ending like a bad train wreck. Kirara hissed at Inuyasha, "I don't give a shit what you want, get out of there." He snarled in response.

Kirara yawned and turned her nose up at the Inu Hanyou.

Inuyasha dropped his empty bowl and grabbed the cat by the scruff of her neck. Kirara hissed and in response her claws dug into both Kagome's shirt and braw.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shrieked angrily.

"Be quiet bitch, I'm trying to get her out of there!"

Shippou watched this all with a mildly horrified look on his face. Miroku covered his mouth to hide his shock.

Sango watched this all with mounting disbelief.

"Inuyasha stop, it's okay. I'll get her out myself." Kagome grabbed his wrist trying to coax him to release the fire cat.

"Kagome, be still so I can get her out!" Inuyasha demanded angrily.

"You are not going to start a fight with Kirara. Let her go Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled.

She badly wanted to yell the subjugation spell but she could see that ending badly.

Inuyasha gave a yank. Kirara yowled and dug her claws in Kagome chest. Kagome gave a shriek of pain and released Inuyasha wrist in favor of prying the cat demons claws free before they did more damage. With another yank Inuyasha had Kirara free but not before ripping up Kagome's shirt and braw. Kagome gasped in pain quickly covering her chest.

Sango was rushing Inuyasha with her hands out stretched as if to strangle the Hanyou. Miroku looked horrified and sat in shock, no kind of perverted expression or thought in his being at that moment. Kirara was yowling, her body stiff as a board as she hung in Inuyasha's grasp.

Kagome cringed in pain, tears in her eyes. She peeked down and was met with the sight of her blood-stained sleeve. She hopped to her feet just as Sango snatched Kirara from Inuyasha.

Inuyasha's jaw hung open in surprise; he was even more surprised when Kagome's palm met the side of his face. His head snapped to the side and for a moment, he saw red. He turned back to Kagome and reared up to scream at her when her hand met with the side of his face again.

"I hate you Inuyasha!"

With that, she turned and rushed into the forest leaving everyone behind her stunned. All eyes turned to Inuyasha and the look of misery and shame etched on his face.

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Kagome stopped and crouched behind a tree, her arm pressed across her chest. She rocked a bit hoping the movement would somehow sooth the pain. With a whimper, she moved her arm away and tried to see the wound. It was messy and covered in blood. A tear met the wound and she hissed when it began to burn even more. She wanted a bath, she wanted to clean the wound or do something. With a grunt she stood and raced for the spring she had caught sight of earlier during the day. The water was steaming hot and Kagome mourned ahead of time for the pain she was going to feel. Quickly stripping she slid into the water.

She let out a low moan of pain and sat a moment hoping the throbbing and burning would fade. When she had calmed herself and she figured the pain had faded as much as it was going too, she splashed water over the wound.

"He's such a baka!" she whimpered in pain.

She wiped the tears away with her arm before they made their way to her wound. The tears wouldn't stop and so she just let them flow. However, the bleeding was stopping, and for that, Kagome was thankful.

She dunked herself to her shoulders and glared at nothing as she tried to figure out what to do.

"Kagome!"

Sango burst from the forest. She held Kagome's supplies and Kagome was tempted to thank her but she simply wasn't in the mood. She didn't want to see anyone, she didn't want to talk, and she sure as hell didn't want to be seen. At that moment, Kagome only wished she could run home, curl in her bed and cry. The bone eaters well was almost three weeks away on foot and a week's flight with Kirara. If she tried to leave it would be a long miserable journey she wasn't up for at the moment.

Sango paused when Kagome didn't look at her.

"Are you okay, do you need me to stay?" The Tajiya called in a weak voice. If Kagome didn't know, better she would have said Sango's voice was trembling in sympathy.

Kagome sniffled and sunk into the water a bit more.

"No, I want to be alone." She replied in a watery voice.

Sango made a strange sound in her throat, "I-okay. Here's your bathing stuff." There was rustling around and Kagome knew Sango was setting out her shampoo and soap so it would be within easy reach.

"There are first aid supplies in the bag, I don't want to get it dirty" Sango called quietly.

"Thanks," Kagome whispered still refusing to look back.

Sango didn't say much else, the rustling of the trees told Kagome of her departure. Kagome glanced back at her things set out neatly then looked away.

Licking her lips nervously she rose out of the water slightly to take in the damage. She moaned in dismay when she saw the wounds.

Her left breast had deep puncture wound in the shape of a tiny claw. The claws had been dragged across and up her chest before they had been pulled free. Kagome didn't want to think about what would have happened had Kirara's claws remained in that particular wound.

The other claw mark started at her sternum and drew up to the space just before her collarbone. This one was deeper than the other, and was causing most of the pain. Kagome pressed a finger to one of the thinner claw marks. She hissed in pain before sinking back into the water to brood and cry.

There was an odd click and Kagome frowned in confusion, "A woman's breast is almost as precious as her hair."

Kagome spun around and paused to stare. The witch from the previous night was sitting at the banks edge with her feet in the water as she sniffed each of Kagome's bathing products.

She shook her head in disapproval, "I wouldn't wash that wound with any of these," The woman advised sweeping silky black locks over her shoulder.

Kagome opened her mouth to scream but she paused knowing the older woman was right.

"I'll wash around the wound," Kagome grumbled.

"And what will that do besides make you feel better for all of a day. You need to wash your wounds out stupid girl. You may love that cat like a friend but her claws have been in a lot of strange places, one of the most well known: the dirt."

Kagome pressed her lips together angrily and glared.

"What do you want?"

The witch glanced up, "I have to grant your wish. Did you forget so quickly," She drawled lazily turning over the economy sized shampoo container and reading the bottle.

Kagome debated if she would be able to pick up a rock from the bottom of the spring and fling it without hurting herself further. There was a grumble about crude writing and unnaturally strong smells from the oblivious female lounging at the spring side.

Kagome eyed her a moment before turning away to continue her bath, "I don't want a wish. Leave me alone."

"I have to give you a wish, my honor as a witch is at stake" She shot back with all the patience in the world.

"I don't give a crap about your honor" Kagome retorted.

"I can't work with this hanging over my head. I can't keep clients if they think I'm not one to keep my promises," the comment was made with a distasteful sneer and Kagome knew then that the woman was telling the truth.

"Didn't you hear me!" Kagome demanded.

"Just make a wish you stupid girl!" This comment came with a low growl the hummed over the area and shook Kagome's frame. Having sworn that only demons could make such realistic sounds and having assumed this woman was human, Kagome wasn't sure what to think. She blinked a few times to clear her frazzled mind. Finally, the turn of the conversation dawned on her and she spun around in the water, a flush of rage spread across her cheeks and her face twisting into a scowl that would have made Inuyasha cower.

"Stop calling me stupid! I'm so tired of it! Everyone is always talks down to me and they walk all over me. I'm not stupid, I'm not Inuyasha's bitch to yell at when he feels like it, I'm not ugly!" Kagome screamed at the top of her lungs.

Kagome pressed her hands to her face an attempt to stop another round of tears.

She failed horribly.

After a long moment of gather her wit she glared up at the witch with misery in her eyes, "How am I supposed to ever be competition for people who are pretty like you; someone like Kikyou. If this scars over, I won't even be able to get married back home or even here. This sucks, why do things like this happen to me."

Kagome demanded her voice slowly quieting.

She sunk into the water and let herself cool down a moment and when she couldn't hold her breath anymore, she came up and took a deep breath of air.

"It sounds like you needed to get that out." The witch said gently.

Kagome didn't answer but only looked down at her reflection.

"Would you like to be more beautiful than this Kikyou. There are curses that can make her wither into-"

"No!"

The witch blinked.

"No," Kagome said a bit quieter, "What would that do besides make her come kill me." She gave a slight shrug of her shoulders, "It's not as if I could protect myself if she decided I wasn't worth keeping around anymore."

"So what do you want?"

Kagome glanced up, her gaze tired.

"I want to be Kagome, I don't want to compete against Kikyou for the person I love and I don't want to look like her or be prettier than her. I want to be Kagome."

"But aren't you just like her. Chasing after Inuyasha for his love when he loves someone else-"

"He will like me soon. He already said he would protect me and take care of me and that he loved me!" Kagome responded angrily.

The witch only continued, "…struggling to live up what everyone expects of you as the Miko of the Shikon. That's a big shadow to overcome. You're making yourself her replacement. Even Naraku wants her. If she were to vanish this moment he would come to you and have you take her place."

Kagome stared at the witch and for some reason didn't want to know how she knew so much.

"What makes you think that little boy of a hanyou loves you. He's a neglected child that clings to any type of attention showed to him and thinks it is loyalty and love. If it's not something that wants to befriend him, it's trying to kill him. That is all he knows, that is how he's made it." The witch reasoned with all the calmness in the world. Her voice was strong and each stressed syllable made something in Kagome shake.

Kagome looked away but the other woman continued, "What makes you think you aren't beautiful? You are a woman and you should have confidence in your abilities. If you don't then who will?" Suddenly the smart mouthed little woman had retreated and now standing before her was a woman with a soothing and motherly voice.

Kagome shrugged and looked away, suddenly a lot calmer now that the witch was talking so quietly and with a peaceful air around her.

"I used to think I was kind of pretty, I even had this cute guy at school who liked me. I came here and saw who I was in comparison to everyone else. Sango is so strong and pretty, Kikyou is a powerful Miko that can make Inuyasha beg for an ear scratch if she so wished it. Then I was told from the time I arrived I was modeled in Kikyou's image and was here to finish her job. Even you- you have strong powers and your really pretty, what am I supposed to think when I'm this small average girl surrounded by such powerful _beautiful_ women. I wasn't even all that great back home what's worth noticing about me, a copy."

Kagome glanced up at the witch, her gaze dark and pleading.

"I don't know, only you can answer those questions." The elder woman rested her chin in the palm of her hand and gave a strange grin.

"You know what your problem is, so how do you fix it?" The witch asked with a knowing look.

Kagome was silent a long moment then shrugged, "Go home and return to complete the jewel when all the pieces have been gathered."

"That's running away from the issue."

Kagome scowled, "I have to fix the jewel. This is the only way to fix what I did. Ignoring Kikyou and continuing the journey. If it takes me leaving it all behind so I can make decisions with the jewel later on then so be it."

The witch titled her head slightly, "First of all, who told you it was your fault the jewel broke?"

Kagome paused and thought about it a moment, "Inuyasha…or I think it was Kaede too."

The witch shrugged, "Does it matter?"

Kagome shook her head slightly and blinked at the quick response, "The point is, have you ever wondered what Kikyou would have done?"

Kagome snorted, "Caused it not to explode so this ridiculous journey would have never been necessary."

"You're not getting the point of this whole talk. Very few things could have been done to stop that accursed crow. She could have let the bird go and tried to track it down later, Naraku would have long made his wish if that had happened. Of course, you had no idea about Naraku at that point but let's continue. She could have had Inuyasha go after it of course he didn't trust her and would have taken the jewel and run."

She looked skyward thoughtfully, "She could have tried to shoot the bird like you did, scattering the shards and making sure nothing too bad could have happened for a short while."

Kagome stared at the woman at the shore numbly.

"The point is you made a choice to shoot the jewel, it may have been destroyed but what would have happened if you had the complete jewel at that point with a volatile hanyou and an old woman who can barely move."

Kagome swallowed, "I never thought of that."

The witch smiled, "Of course you didn't, and you wouldn't feel so bad if you had. There are some things you need to sort through, am I right?"

Kagome nodded and the witch leaned forward, "Do you still wish to be better than Kikyou?"

Kagome blinked at the wide grin directed at her but didn't answer for a long moment.

"I wish," the witch leaned forward eagerly, "that you would make this burning stop."

The witch's eyes narrowed in anger. She leaned back her head tilted hauntingly, an angry aura swirling around her.

Kagome allowed herself a sheepish smile, "Don't look at me like that, I made my wish."

She rolled her eyes and reached in her sleeve, she tossed something at Kagome. It fell into the water with a splash but quickly popped back above water. The item floated enticingly before Kagome, bobbing to the rhythm of its own waves. Kagome reached out and took the small container. It was a tiny wooden ball with a smoothed bottom and slight indents where one would put their fingers to twist open the container.

"That's not a wish," The woman grumbled angrily.

"That's what I really want and so it's a wish" Kagome retorted stubbornly eyeing the golf ball sized container curiously.

"That's a salve. The next time I see you I expect a real wish."

Kagome looked at the small wooden container a long moment then glanced back up to the other woman.

"How do you know so much about me?"

A bored glance turned on the young Miko, making her flinch as she met unnaturally dark eyes. Even from where she stood, Kagome could see something dancing in those depths and she would have called it demonic but it wasn't quite worthy of that title. The problem was witches were just persecuted humans, exiled from the rest because they were different. Urasue was different, she had been a demon with powers to do strange things, she had simply claimed herself a witch and no one had questioned her. Kagome could definitely see this woman being exiled from a village because of her dark eyes and abnormal beauty. She jerked when the other woman spoke.

"I am a witch, girl. I have contact with all manner of creatures even some like forest spirits and the gods. You are one of the most closely watched creatures walking the land right now. Everyone with regular contact with such beings knows your story." Kagome blinked rapidly as the shorter woman pulled her feet from the water. She stood and started toward the forest, "Remember what we spoke of girl."

The witch vanished into the forest and Kagome stared after her dazed. She finally sunk into the water and stared at the witches previous seat.

Maybe witches really did exist, and of course she had unknowingly run into one.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The march down the boring dirt path was agony; the tense silence hanging over the group made everything that much worse.

Nobody spoke but everyone felt the rippling effects of the fight from the previous night. As usual, Inuyasha was at the head of the group. He had been marching stubbornly for the next village since dawn and refused to look back or even acknowledge there was anyone with him.

The previous night had been difficult for the Inu hanyou. It was obvious he had been wrong and he had sat up in a tree sulking and staring at her as if he were the one who had been badly hurt. Kagome admitted that he probably had been hurt emotionally and mentally but she wasn't in the mood to sooth his wounded pride. Sango had punished Kirara by having her sleep in the forest just outside of camp but the fire cat had apologized with a few sorrowful mews and licks to Kagome's cheek. Shippou had tried to stay out of everyone's way and had even opted not to sleep with Kagome in her sleeping bag, wary of aggravating her wounds.

Sango and Miroku had been quiet and hadn't tried to speak to Kagome or Inuyasha but everyone was aware the talk was coming; it was just a matter of when it would be a good time to start the conversation. Kirara was sitting on Sango's shoulder for the walk today but was openly staring at Kagome, waiting for some indication the Miko forgave her. Kagome was in the middle of the group walking with Shippou, ignoring everyone as she drowned herself in her own thoughts. She was half-aware of the large red blob that she needed to follow, but anything that needed her full attention was just shit out of luck.

She wondered when she would see the witch again, when she would be able to go home, how she would pull herself out of Kikyou's shadow and move on with her life…

Kagome's gaze focused on Inuyasha's back watching his white hair sway with each step.

How she was going to get over Inuyasha.

The witch had torn down everything she had held dear in the matter of a half an hour but she had also started a new foundation for an obviously lost girl. Kagome was suddenly painfully aware of how immature Inuyasha was and where she stood on his scale of important things to pay attention too.

She had reassured herself for the longest time that Inuyasha loved her, and if he didn't he would one day; that he would appreciate everything she had done for him. Well, Inuyasha didn't appreciate it because he had two goals to focus on and decidedly more important things to worry about. Kagome wasn't as important unless she was stopping him from getting what he wanted, fighting him, feeding him, or being a shard detector. Making sure Kagome felt her time was being spent well just happened to be at the very bottom of that list and Kagome couldn't blame him for the most part.

Regardless she had been hoping for a relationship with Inuyasha later on when they weren't in the center of so much chaos. This alone had given her untold amounts of strength. On more than one occasion, it had given her the needed energy to get up in the morning and keep moving. Now, she wasn't so sure what she had to keep going for.

There was the jewel, but that would end eventually. Any type of relationship with Inuyasha was out of the equation. She was very sure that Kikyou would have her way in that department if given the chance, and boy did the undead woman know how to make her chances. Kagome recalled a few times she could count on both hands and a few of her toes, when Kikyou had waltzed into a situation and turned it to her liking. Afterward, she'd had the option of dragging Inuyasha to her side for a nice little talk, in the center of a deep, dark, abandoned forest, with no villages for miles around, where there could be no reason for Inuyasha not to come to her.

She had ruined any hope of getting a decent job by calling off from school so much, not only would she not be graduating for a long time, she wouldn't be able to get a job now that she had a record of chronic diseases and absence from school. Her life in the future was going to be hard to repair if it wasn't completely ruined for eternity.

If she ended up with Inuyasha, would he mature any more or would she be stuck raising a full-grown hanyou _and_ some poor child born to them. She could swear up and down that Inuyasha was in his two hundreds age wise. Time was said to mature a person. However, if after two hundred something years of living a pretty harsh life, he hadn't gotten anywhere in the maturity department, was there anything on the earth that could get him to act more his age.

Now, there was no doubt that the Inu hanyou had his times of maturity but it was like some hidden instinct that came out only when absolutely necessary. Inuyasha was also an excellent leader but in the way a young soldier is when they are given their chance to shine. They get to blow things up and end up saving lives in doing so, suddenly they are hailed as a savior. Afterward they keep rushing headlong into problems because that was how they got their fame and they didn't know any better. Those scenarios usually ended with the handsome young hero dead in a ditch somewhere with nothing to show for it.

There wasn't much to look forward to in any of her choices.

The thought stopped Kagome in her tracks. Everyone paused and looked at her confused. Kagome stared ahead but didn't see anyone, she felt sick.

"I need to stop."

Inuyasha turned to her for the first time that day looking rather baffled. He went from confused to angry in a split second and Kagome dully wondered if he was bi-polar.

"What do you mean; we have to get the jewel shards. We haven't found any in weeks!"

Kagome noted the cliché and overly used shout that usually started a fight or got them all walking again. She was having none of that today.

She grabbed the straps of her massive backpack firmly in her hands and took a deep breath. Everyone visibly stilled themselves for a yelling match, Sango and Miroku looked mildly relieved at the familiar gesture but Kagome threw them all for a loop when she looked down her own shirt and stood there for a moment.

"I have to dress the wounds again."

That shut Inuyasha up instantly. His mouth snapped closed with a click. Sango glanced to the Inu hanyou then to her friend. The raise of an eyebrow told Kagome that Sango was impressed.

Miroku sighed and using his much-practiced skills, he grab a handful of the Tajiya's behind. He managed a few squeezes before Sango gave a shriek and spun around to smack him. All the action did was remind Inuyasha of what had taken place the previous night. He pressed his lips together angrily and launched himself up into a tree. Kagome, who could care less about Inuyasha's feelings at that moment, dropped her bag and walked into the forest. Sango glared at Miroku but the monk only frowned when his attempt to liven the atmosphere blew up in his face.

"Kagome you forgot your supplies," Shippou called weakly.

Kagome didn't think she could respond without throwing up in front of the poor kit and so she didn't bother to try. She chose a nice little spot in the forest where she had decent foot space, closed her eyes, and began to take deep breaths.

It didn't help much because her stomach still forced up her breakfast in an attempt to alleviate the discomfort. Cool finger brushed against the back of Kagome's neck and a familiar checkered kimono told her Sango was holding her hair back. Kagome dry heaved a few times before she nearly collapsed, dazed and exhausted.

Sango took her shoulders and helped her stand steadily. She led Kagome back to the edge of the forest where they found Miroku waiting with a water bottle in hand and a dripping wet rag. Sango took the rag and wiped Kagome's face. Kagome moaned in dismay at the treatment but let Sango wipe her face down. Sango forced Kagome to sit under a tree and Miroku handed Kagome the water bottle.

Kagome took a drink and gagged at the horrid taste in her mouth. Sango put a hand to her forehead and frowned, "You have a fever." Sango scolded lightly.

With a sigh Kagome looked at her lap, "I feel fine."

"It won't help anyone if you die trying to keep us all happy. We're not going to force you to go on when you can't Kagome." The older girl retorted.

Kagome blinked lethargically wondering if she had heard Sango right and if the older girl realized what she'd said. She quickly decided that Sango didn't have a clue what was going on in her head right then and she wanted to keep it that way.

"I agree with you," Kagome responded quietly.

Sango blinked in mild surprise as she absently folded the rag and pressed it to Kagome's forehead. She forced Kagome back to lean against the tree and Kagome moaned as tight muscles in her back spasmed and slowly relaxed.

Miroku turned to look up into the trees, "Inuyasha, we're done for the day."

Inuyasha growled and hopped down to meet the monk, "The hell we are, we haven't gotten anything done for the last week. We need to find another shard." He snapped.

"So you would rather have Kagome-sama collapse in the middle of a battle and end up getting killed?"

Inuyasha growled something and his gaze flickered to Kagome who was relaxing against the tree the cloth over her eyes and forehead, "Feh, she'll have to move to a camp."

"You can carry her" Sango replied sternly.

"I can walk," Kagome called out in an irritated voice.

Inuyasha glanced at her, "Feh." He took off into the forest and the rest of the group gathered under Kagome's tree to wait for the Hanyou's return.

XXXXXXXXXXX

That's the first chapter, please tell me what you think and if you have idea's tell me about those too.


	2. Pride and Prejudice

Hello everyone,

This is chapter 2 of Twisted Moon. I hope it's okay and just drop a review or an email if anyone has any advice or comments.

This story is looking interesting right now soooo I hope the ideas keep flowing. I'm going to be editing No Such Thing as Fate so this story is just something I'm doing on the side when I'm bored. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the title of this chapter, I do own the snotty little witch though.

Chapter 2: Pride and Prejudice

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When Kikyou was nearby everyone just seemed to know. Miroku liked to stare and fidget before trying his luck at being a distraction, much to Sango's dismay. Shippou would cut nervous glances at Kagome to see her reaction. Sango, being the only one who really couldn't sense Kikyou, would take her cues from the males around her, waiting for an outburst of some kind that needed to be quelled. Inuyasha would stare at her expectantly waiting for Kagome to send him off to be with his beloved.

Everyone knew that he couldn't be stopped, not really. It was just courtesy at this point and an attempt to not be smashed into a hole by a simple command on Kagome's part. Still that never stopped Inuyasha. When he didn't receive the go ahead to leave, he ate dirt, then later that night he snuck away. It had become so repetitive that at one point Kagome had just said screw it and told him to leave. That wasn't the case this time around.

Kagome was expertly ignoring them all while she read in a vain attempt to catch up on schoolwork.

There were awkward coughs and shifting. Inuyasha had even grunted at her once waiting for her to give permission. Time passed and Inuyasha wiggled like an impatient child. He was stuck on the ground near Kagome and if he moved to get higher in a tree he was afraid it might set off something dangerous and usually painful to only him.

Kagome continued to ignore them and everyone eventually went about their business doing camp chores or entertaining themselves to pass the time.

It was almost an hour later when Kagome suddenly slammed her book closed, startling everyone in earshot. She took a deep cleansing breath as if proud of the progress in her studies.

"Kikyou is here," She announced.

"Yeah," Inuyasha shifted nervously.

If he had expected a dismissal it never came. Kagome dug in her bag, "I'm going to take a bath."

"Now wait a damn minute-"

"What Inuyasha, are you going to tell me I can't," Kagome asked tiredly.

Inuyasha blushed, "Well no, but-"

"Inuyasha, just cut it out." Kagome eyed him irritably, "If you're going to go to Kikyou at least be useful and ask her for some information on Naraku."

Inuyasha did a dashing impression of a gapping koi and everyone stared, not quite sure they had heard her correctly. Kagome shook her head and looked to Miroku, "How long till we reach the next village?"

He blinked, "Well we should be there sometime tomorrow afternoon."

Sango leaned in closer and gently lifted Kirara into her lap. "So soon? The way we were rushing I thought we had another day or so."

"It's pretty obvious now why we were rushing," Shippou glanced at Inuyasha who was still stunned by Kagome's comment.

Kagome arranged her bathing supplies in a neat line on the ground, "Do we have money?"

There was silence and everyone looked to Miroku who usually kept the group funds.

Miroku pulled out a small pouch and opened it cautiously as if he expected something to jump out and eat him. He poured the money into his hand and everyone leaned in closer to see what remained of their meager funds. Two copper pieces stared right back at the group.

"Hmm," A piece of dirt crumbled away from one of the coins and lay innocently in Miroku's palm.

"Curious, I could swear we had a bit more."

Shippou glanced up at Miroku, "You mean to tell me someone swindled _you_ out of money?"

Miroku shot the kit a dirty look but said nothing a long moment.

"Well," He announced suddenly, returning the money to it's pouch, "we have enough to double it and afford a room."

"Double it how?" Inuyasha asked suspiciously, drawn from his dazed state.

"Gambling," The women in the camp grumbled.

Miroku nodded as if this were the law of the world.

"How about we don't, all we need is someone of our group addicted to gambling."

Sango looked torn and Shippou raised a hand timidly, "Then how are we going to get a place to stay?"

Nobody answered, they all knew and it involved Miroku sweet-talking someone and lots of lying.

"Hope we get a job in the next village" Sango finally answered.

"Oh." Shippou blinked. "We can stay out in the forest if we can't find money so it's not that bad." The kit shrugged oblivious to the strange looks he got.

There was nothing that could make Sango want to stay in the forest when they had a perfectly safe village to stay in and a roof over their heads no matter how rotted. They had been wandering in the wilderness too long and Miroku knew it, even Inuyasha kept his mouth shut for this conversation. He suspected both women would rather stuff their morals and rules someplace where the sun don't shine rather than go another night itching from bug bites and waking with morning dew in their hair. They had both woken at times smelling a little too earthy for anyone's liking and no one had said a peep for fear of being floored by the temperamental Tajiya or being told off by the sharp tongued little miko. That didn't stop Miroku often enough…

"Houshi-sama is there a reason you are staring at me like that."

Miroku blinked slowly. Inuyasha snickered and Miroku had the sudden urge to rather crudely remind Inuyasha of the undead woman he was supposed to be running off to entertain. He withheld.

"Huh?"

"Is there something wrong?" Sango asked tightly. "You've been staring for about 15 minutes."

Miroku blinked rapidly at this point. He hadn't been aware his thoughts had taken 15 minutes to sort through.

"I was thinking of the lovely maidens in the village ahead."

Inuyasha's jaw dropped and Miroku knew he'd said the wrong thing.

Sango looked ready to rip his head from his shoulders and Kagome only shook her head.

"I was dazed by your beauty lady Sango, thinking of how those women cannot hope to compare."

Sango seemed to relax at the eccentric comment, it was familiar, expected of Miroku, and had probably just saved his life.

She wrinkled her nose and brushed a grungy lock of hair from her face. "Whatever you say Houshi-sama."

"I am very serious Lady Sango. I was so entranced I nearly said something that would have offended."

Sango rolled her eyes, "There's nothing you can really say that offends me anymore, it just pisses me off"

"I think your mistaken Lady Sango, you see, I wanted to ask you-"

He shifted into a familiar position and took Sango's hand in his own. His expression was serious and Kagome grinned in amusement. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and decided to watch the show.

Sango turned red in anger but Miroku asked anyway.

"Will you bear me a child?"

Sango suddenly looked demonic and she took a deep breath of air prepared to haul off on Miroku but then she paused. Miroku looked horribly confused, having expected to feel some kind of pain at this point. As the moments passed and a glaze look fell over Sango's eyes, Miroku began to twitch in panic, fearing for his life. He released her hand and looked about ready to bolt when Sango blinked and looked at him.

"Ok"

Shocked silence fell over the group.

"What?"

Sango flushed, "I said ok, I'm tired of you asking."

At least ten different expressions crossed his face and all was still quiet.

"I expect my children to have a father, and we must be married."

Color began to return to Miroku's face as he realized she was serious.

"L-Lady Sango I ca- I- the windtunnel." He sputtered. There was glee in his eyes but pain in his body language. He'd never expected anyone to actually agree, and certainly not Sango after he had harassed her since he'd known her.

Sango seemed confident but there were the tall tale twitches of shock and disbelief on her part. "My children will have a father and a mother."

Miroku frowned, "But Naraku" he said sounding more certain and stronger.

"We'll defeat him, I believe we can all do it, I believe you can do it," she told him more certain than she'd ever been.

It was difficult to believe they would fail, Miroku decided, when Sango believed in what they could do, when she believed in what _he_ could do.

Miroku took deep breaths confused as to why it was so hard to breath and why his body felt numb and why he was beating back urges…all kinds of urges.

Sango crossed her arms over her chest and Kagome put a hand to her mouth to hide the shock. Miroku was trembling, looking as if he would start crying in his shock. Sango swallowed thickly, her eyes down cast and filled with tears ready to spill. Fear of denial kept them both still and silent.

And oh gods, it was Miroku's turn to speak. To tell her how he felt and tell her what every little girl dreamed of hearing one day from the man they would marry. He didn't seem to understand what she wanted. And oh gods, how could he be warned, they both wanted it so bad. It was a promise of a life after Naraku, something worth fighting for when all was said and done. Something to look forward to and a hope of a new beginning. And by the gods, no one could do this but them and pray it turned out well. They deserved the peace and the happiness, they had worked so hard and lost so much.

Miroku started as if knowledge of what he needed to done was divinely inserted into his head.

He looked at Sango and pulled her hands from her stubborn pose. He held her hand close and after probably deciding that eccentric behavior was advised against for such a woman as Sango he kept it simple and carried through.

"Will you marry me Sango?"

It was spoken so softly and with so much feeling that you could hear all of the extra's and tidbits that would have been added to express his feelings in meager words.

Sango smiled and that smile grew into a wide grin.

"Yes"

Miroku gasped as if he had expected her to refuse. He bounced to his knees, then sat back on his legs and thought a second, uncertain of how he should react.

"Stop thinking about it" Sango scolded lightly.

He launched himself forward with shameful control for a monk and pressed his lips to hers, somehow still managing to grin like a loon.

He put a hand to her cheek, fingers playing with the fine hair on the back of her neck, to reassure himself and bring her closer. Sango giggled into their kiss tears finally slipping down her face.

Miroku pulled away, decided he didn't like it, and kissed her again. Sango hummed and wrapped an arm around his neck to keep him close.

They pulled away from the kiss, both of them giggling and wiping tears from one anothers face.

Kagome didn't realize she was crying until she tasted salt on her lips. She reached up to feel the water on her cheeks. The movement caught Sango's attention.

She looked and blinked suddenly realizing she had an audience.

All the demons present were gapping openly, stunned by the change from the usual banter to romantic proposal.

Sango stood up and swayed toward Kagome on uncertain feet. Kagome stood quickly and rushed toward Sango, embracing the older girl in a hug. "You're crying Kagome-chan."

Kagome grinned, "Because I'm so happy" She explained gently.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Inuyasha howled at the purple clad monk who's cheek and ear were now tucked into his armpit.

"First you guys are acting normal then your kissing and crap," Inuyasha seemed horribly amused by this and was trying to hide it. In Kagome's opinion he was doing a great job because he sounded like an idiot, a friendly male idiot, but an idiot nonetheless.

That night Miroku slept near Sango without her having to punch him clear across the camp. Inuyasha, never went to Kikyou, opting to harass or tease Miroku through the night. Kagome and Sango were making wedding plans long before the new situation settled fully in everyone's mind. Kirara and Shippou slept near Kagome that night, hoping to keep her warm because Sango was certainly warm and oblivious to everything else while she lay near Miroku grinning at him late into the night.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I learned something about myself yesterday."

"Oh?"

Kagome smiled fondly, "I want to be brave and when this is all done I want to be happy with my friends."

The witch glanced up at Kagome, they sat in a random clearing together, simply chatting. Kagome on top of a bolder the size of a car and her audience at the boulders base entertaining herself with piles of straw and string.

"And what brought on this change of heart?"

"Sango and Miroku are getting married" Kagome nearly squealed.

She didn't see the witch roll her eyes.

"And Sango and Miroku travel with you right?"

"Yup" Kagome chirped, "I'm so happy for them but I wish I was like those two"

There was a confused silence, "You want to get married?"

Kagome burst into giggles despite herself, "Of course not…I mean yes, eventually but that's not what I'm talking about." She laced her fingers together and lay back on the smooth surface of the rock to look at the night sky.

"You have no idea how highly I think of Miroku and Sango for the decision they made last night. I want to be like them, brave enough to look to the future and even make plans for that uncertain future. Living here has made it hard for me to think in that way. I think it's called being jaded or something."

"Hmm you can make the word work for this instance" The witch assured Kagome.

Kagome nodded shortly in acknowledgement, "Anyway, I just want to look to the future and not be so terrified. Naraku really complicates things but Inuyasha is also a big problem." Kagome turned her head and stared into the forest in the direction of camp.

"I've been really selfish with Inuyasha and it's not fair to him, not to mention I'm hurting myself. I've been holding onto him afraid of my life and what was going to happen after the final battle."

The witch paused and wondered if she should tell Kagome, yet again, that Inuyasha was using her the same way she was using him. She shook her head, she'd destroyed the girls life enough. Maybe it was best if she let it be.

"Seeing Sango and Miroku together, I realize that I was willing to do anything to give our group their happiness. I want to see Inuyasha smile and I want to watch Miroku and Sango make their lives work."

"You have a big heart you silly child but what about yourself?"

"Me?" The delight had drained from Kagome's voice and was now blank and accepting, "I'm going to go home and be a shrine priestess. I can help my brother when he inherits the shrine and maybe I'll find someone who'll love me. Hojo-kun is pretty dense but he likes me well enough. If sweet Hojo likes me then I have hope that someone else will too."

"How is that a life plan!" Kagome jumped and sat up slightly. Dark eyes bore into her own brown ones and Kagome felt herself gulp at the anger she saw.

"How is giving up everything you've worked for something to look forward too. How will you watch your friends make their lives work if you won't fight for what you want, if you're going to run home and just forget everything that's happened."

"What do you want me to do!" Kagome snapped.

"I've been here three years in a time not my own. I have no skills, I can't hunt, I can't cook without it coming in a bag and telling me exactly how to make it, I can't pass knowledge on because I'm basically a self learned high school student praying I'm not misunderstanding the things I read. I have no life here and I ruined my life back home. There is nothing for me to do but work and hope somebody is kind enough to take pity on this stupid little girl."

Silence fell over the clearing and Kagome's ragged breathing seemed as loud as fireworks. She sat up on the rock and stared at her dirty tennis shoes. "I'm going to wish Kikyou back to life with the jewel."

There was what sounded like a choke, "Why?"

Kagome glanced down at the head of dark hair tucked against the rock she sat on, "Because I've given up on Inuyasha."

The older woman paused mid cough and Kagome continued, "We're good friends but I don't think we can be in a relationship. We harass and fight each other too much. Kikyou is older and she might be able to straighten him out where I couldn't, she also knows how to stop an argument with him long before it could get bad."

"And how do you know she won't kill him or herself again to get her revenge"

Kagome smiled softly, "Because she loved him, at least her soul did. She was like me in that way…when she fell in love she loved fiercely and hurt just as bad when she realized she could never show those feelings, that is until Inuyasha showed up. Had the attack from Naraku come even a day later Kikyou wouldn't have been able to shoot someone resembling her beloved." She put a hand to her chest, "I feel bad for them sometimes."

Kagome sighed and the witch stared at her speechless a moment. She looked away and took some straw to continue working. Kagome leaned over the rock a little trying to see exactly what she was making.

"I see…I hadn't realized you could experience that woman's feelings. Tell me, can she hate as much as she loves?"

Kagome frowned, "Her heart and soul are human even if her body no longer is." There was a sputter and Kagome shook her head, so she'd been expected to agree with bias. That showed how much this woman thought of her.

"If I disliked her it wasn't because she held hate, it was because I was jealous. I'm not going to lie and tell you that I hated her because she was an evil creature bent on controlling the world or something." A flushed look crossed the older woman's face, "She was human and so am I. We are different people raised differently. For someone in her situation I understand perfectly why she does some things. Then she does other things that confuse me simply because I've been protected from the life she had to suffer through as a Miko."

Kagome scratched her head, "This just feels right. I can't say that for a lot of things I do so I'm going to go ahead. I'm going to give Kikyou back the life stolen from her and hope that she and Inuyasha work it out. If they don't work it out I hope they move on with their lives."

"You naivety disgusts me" Kagome started in her shock, "But I somehow still like you."

Kagome eyed the woman strangely.

"Thank you. Your opinion of me is well taken." She assured sarcastically

There was a chuckle, "Your blunt and honest with me, I was returning the favor. Your good goody way of seeing everything annoys the hell out of me."

Kagome blushed, "Well excuse me for being a good goody and trying to help my friends out."

"You're excused."

Kagome flushed angrily.

"Why is it every time I talk to you there's one or more ignorant comments you have to make to me."

A shrug, "I just told you, it's because you annoy me. I think you'll grow out of it so I'm tolerating you."

Kagome made a strangled sound, "Then why do you sit here and listen to me if I annoy you so much." She huffed, sounding hurt and confused.

"Because it's…" The witch took a deep breath and seemed to be searching for a proper word, "Refreshing."

"Refreshing?" Kagome repeated in disbelief, her bad mood completely thrown to the winds.

"Hai, I am a witch you silly little girl. Did you think I was a nice witch. I curse people. I hurt and kill people when the need strikes me, I harass the weak and the stupid, of course this is different for me."

Kagome stared, obviously not believing a word she said.

"So you're evil?"

There was a pause and an air of confusion around the witch, "More or less." She finally decided.

Kagome hummed in amusement and slid slowly down the rocks side, "You don't seem evil to me, mean at times but not evil"

Kagome grinned at the glare she got, "And what do you know you silly child?"

"I know you're nice. Who else would sit and talk to me like you do and set me straight, no matter how much it bothers me. You're not someone I've known a while; you're a random witch talking to a random miko."

"I owe you a wish girl. I just get dragged into conversation when I'm with you."

Kagome paused uncertainly at the steep drop off her rock. She sat, measured it, then gave a leap of faith. She landed crouched on the ground and grinning triumphantly. She felt playful all of a sudden and it showed.

"Oh whatever, it's not like you can grant a wish as soon as I make it. You have to work at a wish just like everyone else." Kagome snorted.

"We'll I _am_ a witch, I have a better chance of fulfilling any wish, at least I have a better chance of fulfilling it than some little thing like you."

"Sure, and what do you do if I wished for riches or world domination."

Kagome shivered when the other woman's gleeful gaze turned on her, "Is that your wish. I know this human lord and he pisses me off something fierce, I'm sure we can 'encourage' him to hand over his funds to you. World domination…I've heard that one before but I will certainly have fun trying to grant the wish for you."

Kagome waved a hand frantically, "I don't really want those things. They were just examples."

There was a grunt of displeasure.

"Why are you so determined to grant me a wish?"

"I told you before!"

"No, I mean, you don't know me. All I did was shoot an arrow at that demon. You were doing fine on your own."

Kagome watched as the woman held up a small straw figure that strongly resembled…

"It is a matter of honor. I must repay you for your assistance, it's as simple as that. Now if you would like to make a wish it would be greatly appreciated. I really would like to move on with my life. I do have curses to cast and snotty royals to entertain."

"Any wish and we don't have to bother each other again?" Kagome asked cautiously eyeing the little doll with a tuft of hair sticking out from the crown of straw that made its head.

"That's all I need" The witch assured.

"Okay fine," Kagome waved a hand in thought, "I wish to know what your name is"

There was silence a long moment.

"My name is Aneko. May I have a lock of your hair."

Kagome stepped back fearfully and pulled her hair over her shoulder.

"Why?" She squeaked.

"Because I'm going to curse you of course."

"I made my wish, you can't curse me for doing what you told me too!" Kagome wailed.

"You won't make a simple wish, of course I'm going to curse you!" Aneko snapped harshly waving the little doll at Kagome like a knife.

"You told me your name, you granted my wish."

"Of course I didn't tell you my real name you stupid little twit. I'm a witch. Think of the chaos you could cause with my true name."

"With your name?" Kagome stared at her skeptically.

Aneko glared at her, "You have absolutely no training do you?"

Kagome felt her cheeks heat in shame.

"By the gods, why me? Girl, just make a wish."

"I made a wish when I asked for something to make the burning from my wound go away," Kagome defended herself timidly.

"That's not a wish!" Aneko pointed out coldly. Way past the point of yelling herself hoarse.

"Why not, I really wanted it and it worked."

"Because I say so!" The witch snapped irritably.

They sat glaring at each other before Kagome finally looked away, "I can't. It's just not the way I was raised; making a wish and waiting for someone to make it come true. Wishes backfire and I'd rather not take my chance."

Kagome glanced over and was surprised to see the witch not scowling but smirking in amusement. "That is the smartest comment I've ever heard a human make."

"Wha?"

"Plenty of people make wishes but they don't think about what has to happen for that wish to come to fruition. I do it often enough," Aneko stood slowly, a graceful but small figure in deep blue robes. She cradled the curse medium she'd made like an infant.

"Perhaps it is instinct that keeps you from making foolish wishes. It's what has kept you alive."

Kagome stared and Aneko motioned to the jewel so cleverly hidden in Kagome's shirt. "You think the jewel is trying to protect me?" The young miko whispered, awed.

"What, Heavens no, that thing is everything just short of evil and the world will be better off when it's gone or at least better contained. You were born with it, I'd like to think the gods have sense enough to put an instinctual abhorrence to thoughtless wish making in your being. At least you've thought about your wish a bit, not that I agree with it but you can't tell foolish children a thing until it's too late…"

"Thanks a lot" Kagome said dryly. She glanced at the doll Aneko had been working on, "What's that for?" She asked, dreading the answer.

Aneko shrugged and eyed her work with a touch of pride, "I'm going to cast a curse."

Kagome nodded slowly, "You aren't going to kill anyone are you?"

"Maybe" Aneko responded shortly.

"Don't kill anyone, please" Kagome nearly whined.

"But it's interesting," Aneko eyed her as if she were some alien entity.

Kagome pressed her lips together in defeat, "Right….I'm heading back to camp."

Aneko chuckled at Kagome's obvious discomfort, "Have a proper wish by the next time I see you girl"

Kagome looked back prepared to comment but found Aneko had vanished.

"Great, she's a wacko," Kagome grumbled, marching back to camp.

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There were many things that Kagome had learned to accept about her life. She knew she wasn't normal, she knew she didn't like when Inuyasha yelled at her, and she knew that she had a duty to collect the jewel shards and protect them. She had just recently accepted that, while she loved Inuyasha in both a romantic sense and as a good friend, she didn't have a chance with him. That, in no way, made her feel any better when she ran into Kikyou and had to silently admit that fact to herself.

Kagome leaned against the wall of the room peeking out of the flap window held open by a stick. Outside at the entrance, Kikyou stood talking to Inuyasha while people hovered at a distance waiting to talk to the 'honorable Miko'.

Kagome had never in her wildest dreams thought Kikyou would come to Inuyasha in a town.

Then again, Inuyasha had never refused to come to her when she called. It wasn't as if Kagome could stop him very long even with her control of the subjugation beads. Kikyou knew that, Kagome knew this, and Inuyasha definitely knew. Kagome guessed that the undead Miko was trying to pry information from her lover to find out why he hadn't come to her.

Briefly, the young miko wondered what they talked about when they met in the dead of the night in an isolated part of the forest. Then Kagome wondered why she would torture herself even considering that bit of information. Kagome could think of 10 different things they could talk about alone in the forest and only think of two or three things they could do without talking. Either way, there weren't good odds if she was hoping for them to just have a conversation and be done with each other.

"Thank ye Monk, thank ye."

Miroku smiled indulgently, "It is my duty. Please think nothing of it."

Kagome turned and glanced at the monk. After another three days of travel, the group had happened upon a village. Half a foot in the village and he'd lied to the town head about an evil spirit haunting the poor man's house. Panicked and frightened, he had begged Miroku to purify the area and Miroku had done so with a flourish just to pacify the village leader. The older man had then put them up in his over sized home and villagers had come with food to thank the 'merciful monk' for his work in saving their leaders home.

Both Kagome and Sango had found it disgusting and had made their opinions clear by sending Miroku dirty stares the whole day. On the other hand, nobody had pointed Miroku out for the liar he was. It had been a long week and everyone was tired and grumpy, a chance to sleep inside with a soft bed was sorely needed. Miroku had realized this the hard way when he had groped his fiancé's behind one too many times the previous evening and had ended up with a gorgeous shiner the color of his robes that had yet to fade.

Miroku managed to convince the old village leader they didn't need anything before he calmly slid the door shut. He turned and let out a long breath of exhaustion. Kagome shook her head amused. Sango huffed and looked away. "Is there something wrong Sango"

Sango sent him a hard stare and Miroku didn't say another word to her as he took a seat closer to Kagome.

Kagome smiled at the couple then sent Miroku a lazy glance.

"You're going to have to tone this lying thing down Miroku."

"It wasn't lying Kagome-sama, I merely exaggerated the facts."

It seemed for a moment that Miroku forgot he was talking to a much more powerful spiritual being. Kagome shook her head as he continued to smile, refusing to acknowledge his own mistake.

Kagome turned back to the window and stared out at Inuyasha and Kikyou. Kikyou pet Inuyasha's arm before coming to his side, they both began to walk. Kagome felt and heard someone breathe near her ear. Sango finally saw what had caught the younger girl's attention. She reached out and closed the window. "Kagome-chan why don't we go take a bath together. The village head said there is a bath waiting when we are ready." Sango chirped placing a hand on her friends shoulder.

Kagome continued to lean on the wall burning a hole into the window flap with her gaze. Sango frowned at the younger girl but before she could turn to Miroku for some help she felt Kagome's cool hand over her own.

"I'm going to find Shippou, I told him to be in before dinner and he's still out." Kagome pet Sango's hand and stood. Sango stepped back to allow the younger woman space and she watched Kagome walk from the room.

Miroku and Sango shared a worried glance.

The halls of the village leaders house were well lit by candles and the sunlight from the fading sun. It reminded her of a shrine of some sort with its immaculately cleaned halls and its quiet peaceful atmosphere.

The entrance was rather annoying to find but she eventually made her way outside. When she stepped out onto the porch, the sky was turning a flamboyant red and orange signifying the quickly setting sun. Kagome started down the stairs and paused to look around. Villagers paused to stare at her choice of clothing but it was easy enough to ignore them. Kagome looked around hopping to spot a Kikyou and Inuyasha in the distance so she knew how to avoid them, but the two had vanished.

With a sigh, she started on her quest to find her missing kit. The boy loved to find other children to play with when they stopped and Kagome was delighted at how quickly he could make friends. It was getting him to come in for the night once he did make friends in a village that always proved difficult. Despite all this, Kagome didn't blame him and continued to encourage these friendships.

Kagome wandered up and down the streets searching for the fox child and she wondered if she should just buy him a tracking device the next time she went home. It would save her the trouble and the time. Kagome giggled at her own thoughts but continued her search, occasionally asking a villager if they had seen the boy. Finally tired with the search and disoriented by the many streets of the village she backtracked to the village leaders home to start over.

Of course, it was her luck to nearly run into Kikyou and Inuyasha on her way back. The shrine was literally 20 feet from where she stood and the only thing blocking her way was an embarrassed Inuyasha and aloof Kikyou.

Inuyasha shifted nervously looking at Kikyou as if he wanted to move away from her to avoid a vicious sitting. Kikyou tilted her head back slightly and Kagome was suddenly reminded of the haughty stare the witch had given her at one point. Much to Inuyasha's shame Kikyou sent him a look, her gaze screaming 'coward!'

Inuyasha growled softly and looked away a moment to gather his thoughts. Finally, he looked up and stepped forward, the set of his shoulders, the way he carried himself and even the way he took his few steps revealing a confidence he had forced up from the depths of his being. "Is there something you want Kagome. Me and Kikyou were walking here."

The way he spoke threatened her to say anything about the two of them being together but Kagome had no such wish to break them apart. In fact, she had planned on completely ignoring them until her chest stopped aching. He wasn't giving her that option but it had happened before, Kagome had taken it all in stride all the previous times she had caught the Miko and Inu hanyou together, sometimes doing less than savory things, and this time wouldn't be any different. There would be a lot less screaming and crying on her part when the day was done and that was fine with her.

The sobbing, screaming, and pointing accusing fingers had gotten old. This had gone on for three straight years and after having that talk with the witch, she realized she would forever be stuck in this cycle with Inuyasha if she didn't make an effort to break it. She might even have ended up a vengeful spirit like Kikyou at some point and Kagome did not intend to be like Kikyou if she could help it.

Kagome looked at the two of them tiredly. Kikyou stepped closer to Inuyasha and Inuyasha shifted nervously but didn't move away. Kagome ignored the blatant attempt to get a rise out of her. A person in a rage was a lot easier to control than a person who was calm. Kagome didn't intend to be that foaming at the mouth idiot this time around.

"Why are you just staring at us like that, is there something you want" Inuyasha sneered able to force anger into his voice.

Kagome stared at him a good moment as if taking everything in then she looked to Kikyou, "Inuyasha I need to talk to Kikyou."

Inuyasha pressed his lips together and straitened his back. Kagome realized that Inuyasha had no intention of leaving them alone. "Inuyasha I need to talk to Kikyou alone, you know what that word means don't you?"

The sarcasm pissed Inuyasha off and he made it apparent by stomping around and flushing angrily, "Now wait a damn minute-"

"Go Inuyasha," he blinked at Kikyou who let a smile curve on her thin lips, "My reincarnation wishes to have a word with me" He looked as if he would protest but Kikyou needn't say another thing, she only sent him a look and the hanyou took off like the wind.

Kagome pouted silently wondering why he wouldn't listen to her like that. The two guardians of the Shikon jewel, past and present, stared at one another. Eyeing the other woman warily, Kagome lifted her head and spoke to Kikyou.

"I won't beat around the bush Kikyou, I need to find Shippou and I'm sure you have some poor soul to absorb." Kikyou stiffened at the insult but Kagome only saw her eyes narrow a fraction.

The smile remained pasted lovingly on her lips.

Kagome stepped forward and stood at arm's length from Kikyou, it was time to set the record straight before they got themselves killed. "I don't like you and you don't like me but Naraku wants to kill us both."

Kikyou only stared, waiting for the younger girl to continue.

"We need to stop going at each other's throats for half a second and focus on stopping Naraku before we both end up dead, no offense with that one," Kagome wave a hand and Kikyou grunted.

"And why should I listen to you girl. There are other ways to defeat the cursed hanyou and I don't necessarily need your help" The undead Miko sneered.

An amused smile curved on Kagome's lips, she liked the word 'necessarily' in that context.

"But I'm sure you would appreciate the help now wouldn't you. If Naraku were such a pushover, he would be long dead. We both know that but I didn't think you had so much pride you would ignore that fact,"

Kikyou's Picasso smile faded away and she took a deep breath her face tight in anger.

Instead of confronting her incarnation and likely starting a cat fight, she stepped back prepared to turn and leave.

Closing her eyes in exhaustion Kagome sighed, "I'm done."

Kikyou paused and glanced back curiously.

"I'm done pining Inuyasha. I've hurt myself too much and I'm so tired of it all. You can have him, I won't interfere anymore." Kikyou turned fully to Kagome an amused smile on his lips, "given up have you girl?'

"No, I haven't given up but I can't deal with this anymore. I'm tired of suffering and I'm sure if I try, I can do better. I-I just," Kagome took a deep breath and closed her eyes, "You know, I think I have given up."

Kikyou stared at her a moment, eyes dancing with amusement, "If what you say is true, I don't want to see you two near each other." Kagome stared at Kikyou, "We travel together Kikyou that's-"

"You know what I mean reincarnation."

Kagome looked away a long moment, "Fine Kikyou. In return I don't ever want to see you two doing that lovey dovey crap infront of me. In addition, if you flare your power to call me one more time to see you two fucking in the forest I swear to god I will end you."

Kikyou took a deep breath through her nose, "We will work together to defeat Naraku and afterward has yet to be decided. I might decide to kill you. I do want my soul back after all."

"It's my soul dead bitch, get your own" Kagome grumbled angrily.

"It's both our souls but it was mine first. Who does it belong to now" Kikyou mused. Kagome grunted and looked away.

Kikyou gave a soft titter of a laugh and Kagome felt a chill run down her spine, "If all it took was for you to give up on Inuyasha when he would never be yours anyhow, you should have done so earlier. Having a backbone would have helped you on this journey for the jewel shards."

Kagome gave a sniff, "Maybe."

"Have you any news on Naraku?"

"No, he went quiet about two months ago and we haven't seen a jewel shard since. I think we're at the end of the road"

Kikyou was silent a long moment.

"If what you say is true we should expect a battle soon."

"Will you be there for the final battle or was this truce a waste of time for both of us?"

Kikyou eyed the younger woman before stepping to the side and starting past Kagome. She paused when she and the younger Miko were standing shoulder to shoulder, "Remember what I said girl or you'll find an arrow in your heart."

Kagome gave a bitter smile, "Like you did Inuyasha"

Kikyou's looked away her head moving with a swiftness that came with anger. She stalked past and Kagome turned to watch her go already knowing the undead Miko would be there.

"Kagome?"

Kagome turned slightly and was surprised to find Shippou standing at the entrance to an alleyway with bright wide eyes and a hand over his nose.

"Kikyou. She was here?" he squeaked.

Kagome nodded and Shippou came to her side. He looked up at her curiously, "Is everything okay. I can fox fire her if she was mean." Kagome smiled slightly, leaned down, and picked him up. When he was comfortably cradled in her arms, she kissed the top of his bright orange hair. "I'll be okay as long as I get to hug you." She squeezed him in her arms and kissed his pointed ear making the kit giggle.

"Oh. Guess what."

"Hmm?"

"I can climb trees faster than my friend Ritsuo"

Kagome smiled amused, "You'll have to show me this awesome new skill when we have time."

Shippou grinned in delight.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

That is chapter 2 of Twisted Moon. I just sat here and edited right quick. I don't know if I'll post again today, I might. Sorry for taking so long, started my senior year of college and it's been chaotic.


	3. For Kagome

You know I was just going through the final touches of this chapter and I had to pause in shock. I remember asking myself "Silver, what have you done?"

As usually this chapter has not been edited, I'm working on the next chapter but it will be a while before I put it up, that's kind of crazy to put up a chapter a day. I got some really nice reviews for this story so I thought I would go the extra mile, it's not nearly as complicated as No Such Thing as Fate so that helps.

This chapter…is one of the strangest brain babies that's come forth yet. Please give me your opinion on this if you have the time...Enjoy.

Please review, I got a couple hundred hits and 4-5 reviews per website, obviously that doesn't add up. If you see anything wrong just point it out okay ^_^

**Disclaimer: If you think I would steal such a wonderful story as Inuyasha you need to stop sniffing nail polish. I hear it melts your brain.**

**Chapter 3**: For Kagome…

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"You know this is really starting to get weird."

"Really?"

Kagome turned the tips of her feet in toward each other and stared through the little shape they made between her and the ground.

"Yeah. I've never had anyone pull me up onto a roof for a question."

"A question?"

Kagome looked at Aneko, "Every time we talk, the conversation is about making a wish."

"Oh."

Kagome laughed but quickly stifled it with a hand. She looked at Aneko, "Did you forget or something you stupid girl" Kagome repeated in a deep voice in what she assumed was a good impression of the older woman's voice.

Aneko shot Kagome the strangest smile and Kagome immediately felt dread.

"I have a curse that can turn Miko's into seagulls," Kagome choked on her snicker and Aneko smirked.

"Why is being on the roof so strange?" The witch asked finally.

Kagome shrugged and glanced at Aneko who was crouched beside her balanced on the tips of her toes on the main beam that ran across the roof. It amazed her how youkai could do such amazing things that humans had to train many years to do.

"Maybe that's not the strangest part but the fact you snuck into my room, past Sango who didn't budge, then somehow teleported us both to the roof through the ceiling or however the heck you did that. That is strange."

Aneko was still smiling in amusement. "How do you think I get around girl, walking is for humans."

Kagome nodded indulgently, "You're human too."

"Witches are considered demons," Aneko pointed out.

"Oh, that's pretty cool I guess."

"Cool? Your terminology confuses me. I'm rather warm."

Kagome shrugged and took the comment in stride, "You aren't the first person I've confused," she assured.

Aneko looked out over the village a nasty grin on her face and her gaze considering.

"You don't get to sit and talk to other people often do you?"

The witch jerked and looked at Kagome in confusion. Kagome was staring at her, eyes wide and interested.

Aneko snorted, "Who speaks to a witch but those who absolutely have too. Many of us aren't kind loving creatures."

Kagome laughed, "I think you are very kind Aneko-san. You sit and talk to me about all kinds of things and you really help me. You even want to give me a wish when I don't want it."

Aneko sniffed and looked away, "You are the first human I have met that has gone out of the way to avoid a wish."

"Well I think that has to do with who I am. I may be Kikyou's reincarnation but the jewel was in my body when I was born so I guess I just instinctually know not to mess around with things like wishes. I was also raised to be a do it yourself kind of person, getting something through a wish just seems too easy. I know that a wish can be bent to the wish casters will especially if that caster doesn't like the person making the wish."

Aneko nodded slowly, thoroughly impressed with her explanation, "You are one of the smarter humans I have come across."

Kagome rolled her eyes at the comment.

"Besides, isn't it very dangerous to ask a wish of a witch?"

Aneko grinned in delight, "That is very true but most people desperate enough to come to a witch are past that point of worrying about the dangers and it only gets dangerous when the client makes it so. I give out medicine to anyone who can trade something or pay for it, on the other hand someone wanting me to remove a curse or to cast a spell can expect trouble if they don't do exactly as I tell them. It also depends on my mood. If they want to make me angry...well more accidents happen to clients when I'm in a bad mood."

Kagome shook her head at Aneko.

"You on the other hand, you helped me and so I would give you a wish with no strings attached. It wouldn't happen immediately because I don't have power over some item like the Shikon jewel but my job would be to do everything in my power to make sure this wish is granted."

"Oh." Kagome stared at Aneko a moment, "that seems like a lot of work. I just fired at the demon because he was chasing you. Now that I think about it, you didn't really need my help. You ran so fast and kept your distance from the other guy then you held him off with your magic."

Aneko glanced at her cooly, "Like I said we aren't considered human. Witches usually have enhanced speed and strength along with other skills such as magic. We don't transform into massive beast like other demons or develop poison or attacks like that. Of course demons think we are on the weaker half of the scale when it comes to being a demon but we do pretty well against stronger demons even if they don't acknowledge us."

"So basically you actually were in trouble?"

Aneko sneered at Kagome.

"I needed a moment to cast a spell"

Kagome nodded, "And I gave you that moment, I understand now."

Aneko gave Kagome a look that would have made Lord Sesshomaru pause had he seen it. Kagome merely smiled, already comfortable with the knowledge that Aneko probably wouldn't kill her over something trivial.

She chuckled and grinned at the other women. "What else can you do?"

Aneko went quiet her gaze bored.

"I'd rather keep that information to myself, it gives me an advantage in bad situations."

Not one to be deterred Kagome stuck up a finger as if to point out a fact, "I know witches can control the elements."

Aneko seemed amused but she said nothing.

"Hey, do you have to be a demon to be a witch?"

Aneko stiffened making her neck move in a strange way. She looked at Kagome, "Well, no but-"

"Can I be a witch?"

Aneko's mouth snapped shut and she stared at Kagome in disbelief.

Kagome blushed embarrassed and looked down at her feet again. "I was just thinking, since I'm a Miko I have a type of magic but it's focused on fighting against youkai. Maybe if I trained myself to do something else with my power…"

She glanced up and licked her lips nervously.

Aneko stared at Kagome a long moment before looking away, "No"

"Why, I would try really hard and-"

"Could you live with being rejected by both humans and considered the part of the lower rungs of demon? They don't care what you say you are, you're different and they want nothing to do with you if you can help it."

Kagome chuckled quietly, "It's not much different from what's happening now, though I have to say I brought this partly on myself." Kagome hugged her legs to her chest, "I wear clothes that are considered indecent in this time and so no one wants anything to do with me. I travel with demons and so people are scared, at the same time I am a Miko and I also travel with a demon exterminator and a monk. I don't want to be a Miko anymore and there's not much training I can do now that can fix the issues I have with my Miko abilities."

"You don't know what you're getting into girl."

"Then teach me. I have nothing else to look forward to after the fight with Naraku. This is something I want to do. What do I have to do, make this into my wish?"

Aneko swallowed and looked back out over the village.

"You couldn't do it. You would quit halfway through the training."

Kagome bared her human teeth angrily at the woman, "and who are you to decide that for me. I can do it!"

"You're loud, aren't you worried about waking that hanyou of yours."

Kagome glared at her, "Don't change the subject!"

"Where is that hanyou?"

Kagome huffed and crossed her hands over her chest angrily. "He's with Kikyou, I made a deal with her that as long as I don't see it they can do whatever they want."

"Ha that's so funny."

"What?"

Aneko grinned viciously at Kagome, "So if you decided to wander where they might just happen to be kissing or something, according to the agreement Kikyou would have to get up and move."

Kagome's mouth hung open in shock. Her face slowly twisted into one of amusement "Oh wow, you love working with loop holes don't you"

Aneko only smirked.

"But you also told me you wouldn't tie any strings to my wish. I really think I want to be a witch and I need a great teacher if I do this. Would you be willing to help?"

Aneko looked outraged and opened her mouth to respond but Kagome continued, "I mean if you can't do it then that really stinks because you said you have to follow me around until I make a wish and I can't think of anything else. What about your clients what will they think. I know Aneko-san is very trustworthy no matter what she says but the other people…"

Aneko's jaw hung slack as she stared at Kagome with wide disbelieving eyes, "You know you might actually have some potential, at twisting people's requests at least."

Kagome grinned brightly.

Aneko did not look amused and Kagome's smile faded.

"You're going to lose a lot Kagome."

Kagome stiffened, she couldn't recall another time when the witch had called her by name.

"I've lost a lot already. I think I can handle losing a bit more." Kagome promised with a serene smile.

Aneko sighed deeply, "If this is your wish, I can grant it. There's a test you must pass, I can get you started but I can't tell you what your test will be and I can't tell if you will pass it." Kagome stared at the witch.

"I'm afraid Aneko-san because I don't know what to expect but I realized a little while ago there was a limit to what you were going to tell me. I have to learn as I go." she stared directly into the older womans eyes.

"I want to do something with myself, I'm tired of being the weak link in my group. I'll be alone once this is over with. If I have to be alone I might as well be alone on my own terms with something to look forward to the next day."

"And what will you do after your training? I won't waste my time training a girl who will probably kill herself after her training because she has nothing better to do with herself." Aneko sneered standing up to tower over Kagome.

Kagome wasn't intimidated, in fact she felt more at peace then she had ever felt, with herself and with her decision.

Somehow, she knew everything would be okay.

There was a moment of silence before Kagome responded. "I will have something to do with myself. I can make medicine using the skills I pick up. I can cast spells and if I really feel it's necessary I can cast a curse that doesn't kill people. I want to be of use somehow and I'll really be dead weight dragging my friends down soon. I don't want to be like that and this is a good way to get what I want."

Aneko stared at Kagome a moment.

She finally turned fully to face Kagome, "You'll have your wish, but there is much you have to do before I will even consider teaching you. You will go through much suffering and it can't be helped after I begin the process.

Kagome paled but wasn't going to let Aneko frighten her into retreating.

"Okay," She responded quietly, suddenly not so sure about her decision.

"Lift the back of your shirt."

Kagome looked at her strangely but turned and did so timidly. There was shuffling and Kagome shivered and arched when something wet and cold touched her back. Aneko grunted and poked her side in warning. Kagome forced herself to stay still and the cold liquid was returned to her back. She sat fidgeting uncomfortably as Aneko worked slowly as if to irritate her. It didn't make her feel any better that she was sitting on the roof of the villages' biggest building, in the dead of night, under a full moon.

Aneko finished and a warm hand was pressed to her back. Kagome grunted uncomfortably when a shock shot up her spine and her limbs tingled sharply.

"You can pull your shirt down."

Kagome did so uncertainly not wanting her shirt to be ruined by whatever had been used to draw on her back.

"For the next three days, you will do everything in you power to get to me, I must add more to the spell on your back, more so than usual because you have demon companions and they must not smell what I have done."

Kagome frowned, "Why?"

"You need not worry about that however don't show anybody your back and don't mention my presence here. If you have told them about me, don't tell them what we have spoken of. If you want me to take your request seriously, follow those simple rules and you will have your wish in the end."

Kagome nodded a frown set on her features.

"I can do this, I won't disappoint you."

Aneko considered her statement a moment then nodded, "I must go and you need to sleep am I right?" Kagome nodded and stood slowly. She kicked her legs a few times to shake out the numbness.

She smiled at Aneko, "So how are we getting down."

Aneko rolled her eyes and grabbed Kagome's arm. Kagome nearly yelped as she was dragged off the roof in one graceful leap.

XXXXXXXX

"Inuyasha Sit!"

Inuyasha howled and Kagome dropped her bag and stretched. She glanced at the white haired male pinned, strangely enough, on his back instead of on his stomach as per usual.

"I didn't do anything!" he screamed angrily at the sky.

"I'm tired of walking and your being an asshole."

Shippou snickered and Inuyasha was able to turn his head and glare at the kit. Kagome walked over to Inuyasha. "You keep being a jerk and see if I don't s-i-t you again. We all happen to be human and marching for 18 hours a day is not the way to keep us alive."

Inuyasha blew his bangs from his face and crossed his arms over his chest with a bit of difficulty.

"The love birds have enough energy to go jump each other in the forest."

Kagome looked around and sure enough, Sango and Miroku had gone missing. Shippou looked around and fell out on the ground laughing when he found the hanyou's observation to be very accurate.

Kagome rubbed her temple; it just seemed like their little group kept getting stranger and stranger. Okay, so Sango and Miroku were in the forest having unsavory relations, which in Kagome's language meant cuddling, as they had both decided that sex was for after marriage, go figure. Inuyasha was pinned to the ground for another few minutes and Shippou was laughing hysterically at the whole situation.

The kit was rolling on the ground and Kagome rolled her eyes when she realized she would have to give the boy a bath later. Kikyou was about a mile away stalking the group and had been stalking them for the last three days. The only person missing from this scene was Kirara.

Kagome looked around and paused when she spotted Kirara with a stick in her mouth drawing circles in the dirt in a fit of boredom.

The Shikon Miko rolled her eyes skyward and said a prayer for strength and patience.

"Sango! Miroku! Get out here we have to set up camp." She bellowed hefting her bag onto thin shoulders.

Inuyasha made sure his opinion was known.

"The hell we are wen-"

"If you say anything about those stupid jewel shards my foot is going down your throat Inuyasha!" Kagome snarled irritably before marching in a random direction hoping to find a campsite. There was actually an old campsite nearby they had used almost a year ago and Kagome planned to use it again. The campsite was literally three minutes from the road and she would be damned if she let Inuyasha bully her into passing it up.

Shippou bounded from the forest with a flustered and messy looking Tajiya and Monk behind him. Inuyasha had managed to pull himself from the subjugation spell and mosey into the camp after them.

He growled some curses but Kagome ignored him. Sango and Miroku sat within an arms length of one another looking as if they hadn't just jumped one another in the forest not five minutes ago.

"Guys can I get some wood?"

Sango and Miroku stood as one, "Of course Kagome-sama"

Kagome frowned at them, "Shippou go help Miroku get the wood, Sango you go fetch the water." Sango and Miroku looked embarrassed and Shippou made sure to make it worse by pointing and snickering. They both went about their assigned chores and Kagome shook her head amused.

"Inuyasha I want fish for dinner."

"We're eating ramen," he snarled.

"I'm tired of Ramen and eating it constantly is bad for you, now go get us fish or you don't eat at all."

Inuyasha stomped around a bit and growled but he eventually took off into the forest to go fetch her fish. Kagome sat back against a tree and shook her head amused.

A soft mew drew her attention again and Kagome looked to see Kirara staring at her looking rather lost. Kagome giggled and scratched the fire cat's ear, "You have your chores too. I want you to go fetch your dinner and I'll cook it with some herbs for you. Then I want you to go help Shippou and Miroku out." Kirara nodded eagerly and rushed off into the forest.

Kagome leaned against the tree and waited for one of her comrades to return, preferably Miroku and Shippou first.

"You have no chores?"

Kagome glanced to the side as Aneko stepped from the tree behind her, "I'll be performing my chores for the rest of the evening, thank you very much," Kagome smiled.

"I didn't expect you to show up so soon. My friends will return any moment."

"I'm tired of waiting to finish this little game off, I might as well do it now."

Kagome stood and dusted off her clothes. She tilted her head toward the forest and they both stepped into the bushery.

"How do you feel?"Aneko asked her dark eyes flashing in the shaded forest. Kagome rubbed her shoulders and gave a shrug.

"Fine really, a little sore and tired. I had a fever yesterday night so everyone was worried." She responded.

Aneko nodded to herself, "I expected as much. The spells I drew on you are causing your issues."

Kagome smirked, "Well I figured that but I'm glad I'm not getting sick or something."

They both stopped at a safe distance from the camp and turned to each other. Aneko eyed Kagome who stood patiently awaiting her instructions. Aneko pulled out a small box and opened it carefully to reveal the now familiar ink kit.

"It's the third day, after I put these last spells on you we can't turn back. Are you sure you want to do this?"

The motherly tone only made Kagome smile. She nodded, "I thought about it more and this is what I want. I really appreciate what you've done."

Aneko nodded, "In about a day or so, you should start feeling tired and ill but nobody can help you. Just let things run their course. I wish you luck."

Kagome nodded and Aneko eyed her thoughtfully a moment, "Now lift your shirt."

Rather used the routine now, she did so without hesitation. Aneko eyed her stomach carefully then shook her head; finally she looked a little higher at the strange contraption over Kagome's chest. She looked at Kagome who blushed under the scrutiny.

Curiously, Aneko grabbed the bra between Kagome's breasts and pulled it. She released the contraption and it popped the embarrassed miko.

"Cut it out! Just do what you're going to do!" Kagome demanded her face a flaming red.

"I want to use this scar." Kagome looked at the paw prints that were still trying to heal on her chest. "This can be you're sign, your calling signal. Right now I'm just going to write the last part of your spell on here."

She tapped the deepest paw print on the younger womans breast with the end of a paint brush. Kagome flinched. "Can you not poke my chest," she pleaded.

"Fine fine, I'll write one of the symbols here and the rest will be on your stomach."

Kagome ground her teeth, "That's fine just hurry up before everyone comes looking for me." The familiar feel of a brush drawing on her skin came and not a minute later the finishing touch; a symbol on her chest that burned something fierce. Kagome got the signal to pull her shirt down and she did so quickly.

"I have to go, I'll come for you when it is time," before Kagome could question the short woman she was gone in a burst of wind.

Scrambling back to camp, she found Miroku and Shippou starting a fire.

"Thanks guys I needed to use the bathroom."

Sango choose then to step into the clearing with the bucket of water in hand and not a minute later Inuyasha made an appearance. Kagome rolled up her sleeves and got to work with dinner for the night.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome blinked lethargically and opened her eyes. She frowned at the way her skin stuck to her sleeping bag and how hot it was. She felt as if she were laying in an oven. With a moan, she reached for her water bottle and after a few tries she was able to grab it and take a long drink.

When she was free of her sleeping bag, she stood a moment just enjoying the morning air. It was still dark but she knew that the sun would be rising soon. Kagome looked around the camp and was surprised to find everyone still asleep, including Inuyasha. Grabbing her water bottle and a rag, she stepped behind a tree where she went to wiping the rivets of sweat from her skin.

"You okay?"

Kagome jumped and looked around frantically. She spotted Inuyasha up in a tree watching her with curious amber eyes. She blushed and looked away, "Yeah I'm fine. My sleeping bag just got hot. I couldn't stay in there anymore."

He nodded and vanished back into the trees to give her the bit of privacy he knew she would ask for. When she returned to camp she found Miroku half-awake but simply enjoying his rest before Inuyasha came yelling for everyone to get up.

Kagome used the extra time to open up her sleeping bag and clean it out. Kirara and Shippou had slept together and both were currently awake, like Miroku, enjoying the peace before their group leader made them all get up and start the day.

It turned out to be a lazy morning. Inuyasha left everyone alone and was content to lounge in his tree and for that, Kagome prepared him two packs of ramen at once. Miroku and Sango talked quietly while Shippou drew on a small child's chalkboard she had brought from her time. Kirara tried to make her own art by pawing at the kitling's chalk drawings. Shippou didn't seem to mind and in fact liked the paw prints. This led him to make handprints and soon he was a mess of colored chalk.

Kagome got some studying in while the morning meal cooked. Once everyone was fed, Inuyasha went back to his usual demanding and barking. Soon they were all marching off down the road…

The final battle came without warning, that morning it had been peaceful and warm and everyone had been feeling good about the oncoming day. The trouble had started when Inuyasha had sensed Kikyou again and according to him, her scent had been panicked. They had unanimously decided to find out what had spooked the usually aloof Miko.

Kagome got on Inuyasha's back and everyone else on Kirara's. They had been moments from Kikyou location when they saw the light of her arrow. It lit up the clearing like a beacon and a crash had echoed through the forest. Like glass, a barrier had appeared reflecting the image of anything around it and, like the item it was modeled after, it cracked before collapsing in a magnificent display of magic.

The tainted Aura that had been unleashed had thrown them all for a loop. There was a moment's hesitation as everyone realized what they were getting into. That was all that was needed before they were rushing for the ominous dark castle that had been revealed in wake of the shattered barrier.

Upon arriving, they were met with a horde of youkai going for Kikyou and she took them down with machine like efficiency. Naraku and his closest subordinates were up near the castle, all except Kagura, who was giving Kikyou hell. Everyone had jumped into the horde and Kagome and Inuyasha launched a combo attack at Naraku directly.

A angry red crack appeared in the barrier protecting him and Kagome saw red eyes focus on her before she too was thrown into the horde of youkai to fight. It had been a rather simple fight against the youkai horde, both Kagome and Kikyou could fire arrows well enough while Sango Miroku and Inuyasha proved to take out the most of the hordes with what Kagome like to call 'tank' attacks.

The real battle had started when Sesshomaru decided to make an entrance. Anyone within a 200-mile radius had felt the release of the tainted aura from Naraku's castle. For the first time Kagome could remember, the brothers had shared a look on the battlefield and they'd both launched a full-scale assault against Naraku with backup of the Shikon hunters.

A few attacks from red Tetsusaiga and Tensaiga and the barrier around Naraku had collapsed yet again. The air was filled with purple miasma and the hordes returned full force. With Naraku's puppets, Kana, Kohaku, Kagura who was already on the hunt, and Naraku in the flesh and blood, it had all gone downhill from there.

The field had burst into a mass of tentacles and Samyosho. Naraku seemed to pull another 30 hordes of youkai out of his ass. He didn't hold back and that helped him immensely in the long run…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Come on Inuyasha you have got to stand up!" Kagome pleaded trying to drag the bloody hanyou to his feet.

He coughed, blood coming up black instead of red.

"I hate that bastard."

Kagome snorted in half-sane laughter and wiped a mud caked lock of hair from her eyes, "We all do Inuyasha, we need to move back so I can try and get some of that miasma out of your lungs."

Inuyasha moaned and let her help him to his feet. This was no time for pride and he knew it. He stumbled and fell again, dragging Kagome to the ground with him. Kagome yelped and ended up with a mouth full of dirt for her trouble. She gagged and pushed soggy mud from her mouth with her tongue. She would think twice about sitting the hanyou from then on.

Grabbing his wrist, she hefted the hanyou to his feet. A few steps and she had to paused and gasp for air.

"You weigh a ton Inuyasha," She growled.

He was fading in and out of consciousness therefore oblivious to what she'd just said. The weight on her shoulders suddenly lessened and she blinked when Inuyasha was lifted completely from the ground. She stepped back and was stunned to see Sesshomaru holding Inuyasha by the back of his shirt like one would a whelp.

"Sesshomaru-sama?"

He glanced at her fleetingly before walking quickly in the direction she had been trying to drag him. Kagome didn't bother to try and understand what had come over the youkai lord, instead she raced after him. It wasn't long before he stopped and dropped Inuyasha.

Kagome heard Inuyasha moan in pain. Rushing to the Hanyou's side she rolled him onto his back. Pressing a hand to his chest, she closed her eyes and concentrated on healing the damage done by the miasma in his body.

"You can heal Miko?"

Kagome's eyes fluttered open and she looked up through her mud-caked hair. Sesshomaru stood glancing around alert and wary. His hair was tangled and there was a splotch of red on his pristine white horai. Upon seeing that, she noticed that his armor had been destroyed.

"Yes, it took a lot of practice but I eventually worked up the courage to use this on Inuyasha, Kirara, and Shippou." She looked at her glowing hands and saw Inuyasha was already breathing easier.

"Sesshomaru-sama, have you seen my companions."

He shot her a look.

Naraku had unleashed his miasma and the whole area had gone black, they were all near fighting blind and in a cloud of poison at that. However, he hadn't become a Taiyoukai by luck.

"I caught a glimpse of the Monk and the kit, I suspect the Tajiya took to the air." Kagome nodded.

Sesshomaru's sword twitched and his grip on it tightened. He turned suddenly and pointed Tojikin into the forest. There was a pulse of air before the sword shot an orb of air and youki into the trees.

The response was less than favorable.

Kagura shot up above the tree with a horde of Samyosho. With a wave, her blades of wind were on a crash course with them and the Samyosho were the second wave of the attack.

Kagome left Inuyasha on the ground. Sesshomaru vanished and Kagome fired an arrow at the wind demoness. Kagura dodged right into Sesshomaru's claws. He appeared over the tree line and Kagome heard Kagura shriek and the shake of the trees as they both vanished.

The blade winds turned out to be half done. She was able to dodge easily but the Samyosho were a different matter. She shot down two and the others bum rushed her. Kagome gave a shout of frustration when she was knocked to the ground. The Samyosho fought frantically to reach her and she struggled to keep the giant bee at bay. She grabbed a rock and was prepared to stab it's eye out when a scream wretched itself from her throat.

Kagome smacked the bee in the head with her rock, frantically trying not to think about the stinger through her right side. A howl told her Inuyasha was awake. He swiped at Naraku's pet.

She whimpered in pain and Inuyasha quickly pulled the stinger free. Kagome cursed angrily and forced herself to stand. "Kagome! Kagome are you okay?"

Kagome rolled to her hands and knees and Inuyasha helped her stagger to her feet. "Kagome answer me!" She put a hand to her side and sighed in relief when she saw the hole in her side wouldn't be ending her life that day. It hurt and looked nasty but that was it. They would all get through this and they wouldn't have to worry about Naraku anymore.

She knew it.

Her eyes widened in alarm as she sensed the item that was indirectly driving this battle.

"I sense the jewel."

She swayed and pressed a hand to the wound dripping blood from her side. Nothing else seemed to matter at that moment, not even her own life. Inuyasha wasn't sure if he should admire her or tie her to a tree somewhere so she could rest, "Take me there."

He stepped away shaking his head, "No, you're bleeding everywhere. Damn it Kagome just sit down and let me protect you."

She glared at him ready to yell but some part of her adored him for worrying himself. Kagome walked to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're so sweet Inuyasha, you're an ass at times but you have such a big heart." She murmured into his hair.

"Kagome?"

She stepped away and smiled, refusing to look at the stain of blood on her shirt.

"Inuyasha, we have to go. This has to end."

He frowned.

"She is right halfbreed, now is not the time to worry about wounds. You are both warriors on the battlefield and you have a duty." Sesshomaru stepped from the bushery flinging blood from his sword with a flourish.

"Go, before the puppets arrive."

Inuyasha hesitated a moment before he turned and scooped Kagome onto his back. She grunted at the quick movement and when she was settled on Inuyasha's back she smiled back at Sesshomaru, "Best of luck Sesshomaru-sama and thank you."

He looked back and stared as they both took off into the forest.

Kagome pulled an arrow from its quiver and set it to fire at a moment's notice. When they broke through the forest edge, they were met with a wall of miasma. Kagome fired into the thick purple clouds of poison and Inuyasha kept running. The thick purple smoke swirled around them before it began to fade.

Both Kagome and Inuyasha marveled at what the dispersing miasma revealed. Naraku was massive, a spiders figure covered in arrows. The hanyou easily towered over the trees and fittingly he had chosen a spider's form as his last transformation.

Kikyou's early initiation of this battle had done them all some good. Naraku had obviously been in the final phases of his transformation. His spider body was one seeping grey blob swathed in fierce little tenticles. Kagome could make out the sections of his body that would suggest a spider. The back end of this spider was twice the size of what was normal for any six legged creature and thin little legs were staggering under the weight and the onslaught of a fierce attacks. While, his six thin legs did nothing to help him move; he had what appeared to be fully developed poison dripping from his centipede like mandibles. It didn't help that he'd learned how to spray said poison.

Sesshomaru's poison whip looked like a flick of unwanted slime compared to the projectile of acid vomit Naraku was dousing his enemies with.

Said enemies came in the masses. There were Mikos, Monks and Youkai alike, fighting the massive hanyou, all working together to destroy Naraku.

For some reason it had never crossed Kagome's mind that Naraku would really go about harassing and ruining the lives of so many across all species. He didn't seem the type for stupidity and when he ruined someone's life it was disgustingly reasonable to go kill that person before they could prepare their revenge. Naraku had made a mistake, lots of mistakes it appeared, and he was paying for it. His ways had built an army of unheard of alliances all for the single united and untainted purpose of killing him.

"No way" Kagome whispered ignoring the taste of blood in her mouth. It was amazing to see the masses of people fighting against minions and puppets, trying to get to the hanyou who'd made a hobby of destroying lives.

Inuyasha kept rushing for Naraku, but they were noticed. The ground heaved and Tentacles shot from every creavice and every thrown aside piece of earth in their view. They leapt at Inuyasha who had already taken to the air. Kagome turned and prepared to launch an arrow at the tentacles following them but a familiar white boomerang decimated the projectiles. Kagome followed Hiraikotsu's return route with her gaze to see Sango in the air with Kirara. Not far from her on the ground, Miroku and Shippou were holding their own against demon hordes.

Kagome smiled at them and turned forward again as Inuyasha landed. This time Naraku didn't bother trying to be sneaky with his attack. The wiggling things on his back that'd appeared to be hair before were in fact more tentacles. They raced toward Inuyasha and Kagome.

Inuyasha smirked and dodged easily.

"Curse you Inuyasha," Naraku roared in a warped voice.

Kagome gave a bloody grin and let her arrow fly. Naraku's form shook and he howled in pain as thousands of his tentacles burned away under her power, He was only spared when her power tried to follow the tentacles and instead met with his barrier. Kagome heard a cheer but it was such a strange concept to her hazed mind that she ignored it for a figment of her imagination. However, blood loss or being dazed by her situation in no way stopped her from seeing the next wave of tentacles come flying at them from Naraku's underside.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome squeaked.

He ground his teeth and dodged what he could. An arrow disintegrated the tentacles that got too close and Kagome turned her head to see Kikyou fire another arrow at Naraku. Her attack fell uselessly to the ground upon meeting the barrier and Naraku had the gull to taunt them.

Inuyasha was cackling as he drew an already red Tetsuaiga.

He landed after his airborne battle and rushed the barrier. It shattered and another cheer went up. Sango's Hiraikotsu tore through the air and took care of the tentacles already rushing Kagome and Inuyasha. Kagome grinned and fired over Inuyasha's shoulder.

Naraku's tentacles came up moving faster than before. What he considered lesser warriors were doused in acid while Naraku seemed determined to grab Inuyasha with his tentacles. They didn't want to know what would happen if he succeeded but the tentacles smacked into Inuyasha and both he and Kagome went flying. She hit the ground with a gasp and was choking on blood caught in her throat moments later.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha was by her side in moments, helping her stand. She coughed up blood on his horai and he looked at her alarmed. She covered her mouth before looking to her close friend, "Get me up to his neck," she whispered.

Inuyasha stiffened but gave a short nod. It was too late in the battle to tell her no, to beg her to sit down and be protected. She was bloody and the only person who could do this job. Inuyasha had to shove the costs of their actions to the back of his head.

If they lost one another, at least they could say they would never regret their last actions together to stop Naraku.

Kagome stood and her vision swam, Inuyasha quickly caught her. He swallowed nervously but helped her crawl onto his back again. She had an area she wanted to go and so Inuyasha's speed seemed to double. He crashed through yet another barrier with Red Tetsuaiga while Naraku was busy swatting the horde of enemies he had collected, Inuyasha cut through a wall of tenticles and other pieces of slimy quivering flesh. He landed on what appeared to be Naraku's shoulder.

Kagome saw her prize, "Let me go Inuyasha."

Inuyasha obeyed and instead put up a defense for her. Naraku thrashed angrily but unable to move well, it seemed as if he was trembling in fear from Kagome's point of view. Detachment's of Naraku's flesh, little grey creatures that screamed and howled their names began to appear on Naraku's back; clawing their way from their masters flesh.

"Hurry up Kagome," Inuyasha called warily wiping a bit of blood from his jaw.

Kagome stood and raced up the length of Naraku's back. Kagome was suddenly frightened. Her wounds had to be bad or she'd lost more blood than she'd realized because as Kagome ran, the majority of the jewel seemed to be jerking back and forth around Naraku's torso. It alarmed Kagome that her sight was so bad at such a crucial moment.

She fell ungracefully and slid across his back, her head swimming in confusion as she watched the jewel. The flesh under her hands and knees thrummed to the beat of the jewel's movements and Kagome vaguely realized it was his heartbeat. The jewel was caught in his blood stream moving to his pulse so it was never in one place at a time. It was probably the only thing holding Naraku up in this grotesque and foul form.

An ironic smile spread on Kagome's lips. For all the suffering and stealing Naraku had done to get the accursed jewel of four souls, in the end he couldn't use its full power. He was stuck using it for something as trivial as making an unusable body move. He'd fought and killed to get the power of the Shikon and in the end the three little shards around her neck and a mistake on Kikyou's part for actually finding him in such a state had kept him from getting his wish. It frightened Kagome that he was so powerful with 1/3rd of his power and a decaying body, but the heavens had moved in their favor and she wasn't going to question their luck when they were so close.

Ignoring the slime on her body, she dragged herself closer to the jewel. The little bead of power was jerking about on his underside but it was quickly coming around and would be in reach for her to grab in moments. Kagome took an arrow from it's quiver and waited.

She lifted her weapon and prepared to bring it down but paused as the jewel suddenly jerked back the way it had come. Kagome sighed in frustration and watched the moving jewel. It glowed fiercely, sensing it's mistress and being tainted at once in Naraku's body.

The jewel took its good old time but it came back within reach; Kagome wasted no time.

She took an arrow and stuck it into his back. The spider Hanyou howled like a dying cat. His skin began to sink in on itself, taking Kagome and the jewel with it. Kagome reached frantically into the growing gap as the jewel seemed to get further and further away. She wasn't at all surprised when she tumbled into the hole with only her feet kicking above.

However, she was surprised when the hole began trying to close itself up around her. Crying out in alarm she clawed frantically for the little jewel piece. With a fierce kick she caught the jewel with uncertain fingers and gasped as Naraku's flesh began to squeeze her. The jewel purified itself on contact and Naraku began to howl more, his whole body trembling.

There was yellow liquid seeping from everywhere and Kagome screamed when her skin began to tingle then burn.

"Inuyasha!" she cried kicking frantically.

She wiggled and screamed watching as the clothing of her uniform began to melt away. In return the Jewel was trying to burn it's way from Naraku's body as she clutched the broken glass bead.

"Help! Inuyasha" She sobbed trying to push herself free and failing.

"Inuyasha! I can't breath, Inuyasha!"

Something wrapped around her ankle and she paused thinking it her savior. The feel of cold slime seeping into her socks told her otherwise. The grip on her ankle tightened and she shrieked calling her powers forth. Soft pink light burst forth from her body, it burned away the walls of quivering flesh that threatened to crush her and caused whatever gripped her ankle to release her.

Everything fell away and Kagome was stunned by the whiff of cool fresh air. Her body curled in the air and she found herself staring at a dark cloudy sky. A huge chunk of Naraku's flesh was falling toward the ground as the evil hanyou screamed bloody murder to the sky.

Kagome closed her eyes and let herself fall. She had collected the jewel and purified both parts, she couldn't describe the immense relief she felt but Naraku wasn't dead yet.

She fell into something hard. Forcing her eyes open, she was mildly surprised and eternally grateful to see Sesshomaru. The wind was playing in his hair and he was staring ahead showing her a very different angle of his features.

"Rest Miko, you have done your duty."

She cradled the half jewel in her hands and allowed her mind to haze over as Sesshomaru carried her away and Naraku's howls and warped angry threats sounded behind them.

Water sprinkled her face and within moments, the fierce burning on her skin began to fade as she was drenched in rainwater.

Kagome was startled into awareness when Sesshomaru landed. She glanced up at him groggily and she found herself being laid against something soft.

He stared down at her a long moment his hair clinging to his face. Some part of her wondered exactly who he been fighting because he was covered in dirt, now mud, and his horai was bloodier than before.

Nonetheless, she smiled and his eyes narrowed.

"Can you heal yourself miko?"

Kagome's smile only brightened and when she tried to shake her head she found the muscles of her neck suddenly stiff and her head light.

She knew she couldn't heal herself. She'd lost too much blood and her power reserves were on empty.

Despite all that, she felt so damn good. Not in the sense of her body feeling good because she honestly couldn't feel even a toe, but something made her heart soar and her mind felt only delight and calm.

He sniffed and moved away, not at all aware of what was going on in her head, "What a useless ability if you cannot help yourself."

She opened her mouth to retort but all that came up was blood. Kagome gagged and coughed to clear her air passage. As if a switch had been turned on, she suddenly realized how bad it hurt to breath, how tired she was, and how comfortable she was on whatever was under her. Her head swam and everything tingled as if she'd taken one too many Tylenol and it was catching up with her.

Letting her hand fall to her side she was surprised when her fingers met with soft as silk fur, then she realized she was probably bleeding all over it.

She looked to him in confusion and he didn't bother to acknowledge he had seen her puzzled examination of his pelt. He was instead staring at the gapping wound in her side and the bleeding that was now a slow trickle. Some part of the youkai lord wondered what had possessed her to get back up and fight with a hole in her side. He'd seen young youkai sit down and refuse to move when they had such wounds and now there was Kagome to compare them too…

Kagome blinked lethargically and reached for the jewel shards around her neck. A hand reached across her vision and Kagome felt her head being gently lifted and the chain being undone. Moments later the second part of the jewel was in her free hand.

Kagome couldn't see who was infront of her and so she only smiled in thanks. She closed her eyes and her energy did the rest. An eternity later, she was able to roll the whole under uncertain fingers

The jewel hummed softly in her grasp and Kagome watched her world fade to black…

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kikyou looked around startled. One minute she'd been knelt next to her dying reincarnation which was disturbing in itself, the next she was standing in the same clearing except there was no rain, no howls of battle, no demons, just peace and nature.

She spotted Kagome standing under the tree she'd just been dying under. She looked as bewildered Kikyou did. They both wore clothes that were nearly falling off their bodies. Kagome's filled with burns and tears while Kikyous looked a little more decent but covered as much as Kagome's full and unblemished uniform usually did. Kikyou started across the field toward her, wanting to know what had happened.

As Kagome moved to come toward her for similar reasons, light burst from the younger woman's chest. Kikyou didn't have time to be alarmed as the light of her soul raced forward and tackled the undead miko to the ground. Kagome collapsed to her knees and Kikyou hit the ground stunned.

She lay dazed a moment before she took a few deep cleansing breaths. Warmth she had distantly dreamed of filled her body along with a feeling of unexplainable forgiveness. She pressed a hand to her own chest and found a steady heartbeat and good lungs lusting for air. Startled she sat up and looked at her arms and hands as if they had the clues to this feeling.

They did.

She watched awed as color returned to chalk white hands and her fingers began to tingle as blood flow returned to the digits. She touched a hand to her face and jerked startled as her still cold fingers met with her warm cheek.

Kikyou giggled then pressed her lips together startled the sound had come from her own lips. The giggle welled up again and she couldn't stop it. Soon Kikyou was outright laughing in overwhelming happiness, her heart felt warm and the screaming souls she'd been forced to trap were gone, replaced by her proper soul.

Kikyou suddenly stopped laughing as another wave of disbelief washed over her. She blinked at the flowers swaying in the breeze, such beautiful flowers.

Kagome sat up slowly in the grass, her vision swimming. Everything tilted awkwardly but she was okay. She grunted and pressed a hand to her chest almost as if expecting that random light that had burst forth to have ripped a hole in her body. There was nothing, she wasn't wounded or in pain there was just a bewildering blankness in Kagome's mind, and peace.

She blinked owlishly at the sky and the colorful flowers. Kikyou's near hysterical laughter stopped suddenly and Kagome peeked through strands of fresh green grass that swayed in the lightly blowing wind. Kikyou was sitting in the grass looking around awed. Kagome stood scratching at her thighs when the grass tickled her bare skin. She slowly made her way over to Kikyou put off by the stillness she felt.

Kikyou blinked at her when she came closer. She dropped to her knees beside Kikyou and they eyed one another. Kikyou was practically glowing with life while Kagome looked perfectly fine in Kikyou's opinion. A butterfly fluttered past and Kikyou awed at the colors somehow made brighter and more beautiful by her newly returned life. Kikyou turned to Kagome who watched the butterfly go uncertainly. The wind blew, playing in Kikyou's long loose hair, blowing it toward Kagome. A smile curled on Kikyou's lips and Kagome swayed when the older girl grabbed her in a hug, dragging her close.

"Thank you for bringing me back…after all I've done to you," Kikyou murmured in Kagome's ear.

Kagome smiled slightly more warmed than alarmed by Kikyou's thanks. Kikyou wasn't out to kill her and she found it refreshing in more ways than one. She paused when Kikyou's comment finally made it through her head.

"But I didn't make a wish."

Kikyou started and pulled away slightly as Kagome continued, "The jewel brought you back, that's great."

Kikyou paused and looked at Kagome, "You didn't wish me back?"

She sounded uncertain if she should be hurt or admiring the young school girl.

Kagome shook her head and grinned uncertainly, "I didn't really make a wish per say, at least I didn't word it that way. I told the jewel, if there's anything that needed to be done let it happen but is there anything 'it' wanted."

Kikyou felt a chill run down her spine, "You asked the jewel if it wanted a wish?" She asked in horror.

"Yeah, I'm only human, I think my wish will always have some underlying wants but if the jewel decides what to do with itself it can't taint or twist the wish or it'll destroy itself."

Kagome thought Aneko would be immensely proud of her twisting of words in such a situation.

"It's evil!" Kikyou screamed in alarm grabbing Kagome by her shoulders

"Not really," Kagome responded with unnerving calmness, "it's a combination of a pure mikos soul powerful enough to restrain a thousand demons and the evil souls of a thousand demons, it balances itself out. It's a neutral entity that we've been yanking to sides because of our whims."

Kikyou stared at the young woman blankly, her mind numb from the shock that any of this made much sense. It explained everything and she felt such shame for not understanding any of this during her life as the Shikon Miko. She'd been told to purify it and save Midoriko's soul so…

"What about Midoriko's soul, she deserves to be freed." Kikyou insisted the calm and aloof personality sliding into places after such overwhelming changes. Kagome could easily see the discomfort Kikyou had hidden for years, her hair fell wildly in her face and her eyes were wide and wild. Kikyou wasn't the kind of person you wanted to restrain and that had been her whole life apparently.

Kagome smiled for reasons she didn't understand. Maybe there was still spite under it all or maybe it was an understanding that Kikyou was now human and not immune to the happenings of the world, which had seemed the case to Kagome's young mind before this moment.

"…but right now I have the jewel and I automatically purify it without thought. Midoriko is fine now until I figure out what to do. A human can't make a wish to destroy the jewel so it has to be gotten rid of by another means."

Kikyou stared, she was mildly disturbed by Kagome's lack of reaction. She was sitting in a forest with her strange breastbindings hanging out, that was usually enough to send the teen into a fit everything had gone from chaos to peace and yet she sat as quiet and unflustered as ever.

"Where is the jewel Kagome?" Kikyou asked carefully.

Kagome wiggled, "My body feels strange, I think it hid in me again."

Kikyou seemed uncertain how to react to that news. She watched as the younger Miko prodded the scar on her side through a rather impressive acid burn in her shirt, searching for a lump that would indicate the complete jewel.

After a minute she shrugged, seeming unalarmed, "I know it's in me somewhere, I'll find it eventually."

Kikyou instantly believed her for reasons unknown to them both.

"Are you okay?" Kikyou asked instead, confused by their situation.

Kagome's face twitched, the first real expression she'd seen since the younger woman had smiled earlier.

She blinked drowsily and glanced at Kikyou uncertainly, "Yeah it's just…" She paused uncertainly and glanced at Kikyou, "Am I dead?"

The events that had landed them here suddenly smacked them both in the face.

Kagome stared with big frightened eyes, "Am I dead, is that why your soul went back to you?"

Kikyou stood speechless just now realizing what the return of her soul actually meant.

"Kagome" She began, unused to comforting people after years of causing issues.

The wind was picking up and Kikyou turned, worried that the quiet and peaceful day had suddenly turned windy. She looked to Kagome and suddenly understood.

"Kagome, you must calm down. We can't figure out what to do if you don't calm down."

Kagome was shivering oblivious to the wind and Kikyou's coaxing.

"We can both go back right? Oh no, what about my family." Kikyou felt something in her stir. Kagome was a pure creature, it hadn't even occurred to the young woman to make Kikyou pay for the chaos the other miko had caused.

Kagome stared into the distance her thoughts running wild. Kikyou suddenly wished she was of the living-dead again. You didn't feel things like regret and sorrow in such a state.

Kagome hugged herself uncertainly. She and Kikyou cringed as they were blasted with a fierce wind. Kikyou reached for Kagome and caught her hand just as another wind swept them up into the air. Kagome shrieked in fear and held on tightly. That didn't matter when Kagome's hand slipped from Kikyou's hand as if they had never touched each other.

There was a moment of silence between them as they both realized the situation. Kagome let out a sob, understanding in her eyes and Kikyou closed her eyes regretfully before they were violently yanked away from each other. Kagome was sent flying while Kikyou was only dumped back on the ground. Kagome struggled in the wind tunnel that had snatched her up and reached for the older miko; for a grip to her life.

Kikyou sat wind battered on the ground, watching in horror as Kagome's body began to fade into dust. She was gone in moments and Kikyou could only stare at the clear sky uncertainly. Kagome's red necktie whipped through the air and Kikyou's hand shot out to catch it. She stared at the red ribbon in disbelief.

The wind died and Kikyou was left alone.

Kikyou jerked and her eyes flew open. She was dizzy and cold and everything hurt something fierce. Her ears were ringing and she didn't understand why until she realized that somebody- Inuyasha, was howling to the sky.

She was half aware that she was laying down in a really awkward position and that her pillow was soft and sticky. There was a soft glow of power and Kikyou's gaze focused on the glowing pink jewel resting innocently on the still white clad chest of Kagome Higurashi. She tried to move, to lift her hand or anything but her body refused to obey.

Someone grabbed her shoulders and there was yelling. Kikyou ignored them all watching in half aware, morbid fascination as the jewel sank into Kagome's still chest.

The jewel dulled in color going from bright pink to a simple clear like the giant glass bead it should have been just as it vanished into it's guardians body.

A second howl went up and everything went grey, Kikyou was pulled off Kagome chest and she got her first steady look at the bloody little girl who now lay still in death. The grey cloud that had suddenly covered everything was settling over Kagome and everything else in sight. There was a thud that shook the ground then there were shuffles and swirls of color as everyone turned, Kikyou included, and looked.

Naraku's body was slowly collapsing to the ground seemingly brought down by it's own weight. The evil hanyou was fighting wildly to stand again, a spider leg kicking at the sky. Naraku continued to howl as segments of his body faded into the dust that blanketed everything and everybody in range. The horrible screams grew louder combined with Naraku's cries and the screams of thousands of dying warriors as the last frantic stretch of the battle continued. Everyone rushed back out to fight off Naraku's last ditch effort, a full blown attack of every youkai, tentacle and spray of acid he could conjure up.

Sesshomaru raced out, Inuyasha was already halfway to the barrier to bring it down one last time for everyone's final attack. Sango raced out with her boomerang and a tear filled battle cry while Kirara went after her mistress to be sure she didn't get herself killed in her grief and rage. Miroku's muffled cries came from behind Kikyou, the monk obviously holding her up. While everything else had been blissfully muffled, one sound came through to Kikyou louder and clearer than any other.

She looked back to Kagome and stared at the source of the sound. Shippou held Kagome's neck tightly as he cried hysterically to the sky, all tears and pain. His screams were more horrible than anything else and it came through clearly despite the chaos around them.

She leaned forward and Miroku released her, startled she was awake.

A roar of victory went up from the army as Inuyasha and Sesshomaru finished of the spider hanyou together and his body faded completely to dust covering everything in dull grey.

Kikyou wrapped herself around Shippou and Kagome, protecting Shippou from the world while he cried…

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Please review, I'd appreciate the feedback on what I just did.


	4. Why the Sky is Blue

LOL I had fun with this chapter. No big authors note for this one, Just tell me what you think.

Chapter 4: Why the Sky is Blue

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Kaede started as Kikyou sat upright on her futon. She gasped sharply sweat dripping off her healthy glowing skin. Kikyou glanced around frantically, wild black hair falling in her face.

"Kaede?" She rasped, throat dry.

"Sister" Kaede said cooly before glancing back to the fire, "it'd be in ye best interest to lay back down before one of those males comes back."

Kikyou stared as if her sister were speaking another language.

Pain danced across her side and she cringed pressing a hand to the area, Her hand met cloth. She looked down and was stunned to see herself naked and nearly wrapped from head to toe in bandages. Her side was now colored a bright red. The site of blood stunned her more than the pain.

"Blood?" She rubbed the liquid from her bindings and touched a hand to her face, feeling warm skin. "I'm alive, it's real," She breathed with wet eyes.

"What happened to me?" She asked dazed.

Kaede stared at Kikyou with a strangely blank look on her face. Kikyou felt discomfort blossom in her chest. "Ye body was badly wounded, I imagine in a body of death and clay one would not notice a little wound."

Kikyou looked away and smoothed back her neatly cut hair, her nakedness and the threat of a man spying were the least of her worries.

"Where is Kagome?"

Kaede looked up sharply, "ye have taken her soul so that ye, a woman who died many a year ago, may live. This old woman knows where ye life blood came from sister."

Kikyou was silent in shock, "She's dead?"

Kaede only stared at Kikyou a long moment, "she wished ye back to life did she not, where did you think the soul was coming from."

"That's not what happened" Kikyou retorted sharply.

The revived miko gasped at the pain and pulled her covers off, she stood and started for the backroom, swaying on her feet.

"Then what did happen?"

Kikyou leaned against the wall uncertainly before vanishing into the back room where she knew she would find clothes.

"The silly girl told the jewel to make on its own wish; to do what it thought it needed to do."

She could hear the shock when Kaede spoke, "Kagome is not stupid, had she gone insane?"

Kikyou struggled into some clothes that were just a bit too big but she couldn't worry about that.

"No she was actually very insightful, moreso than I ever was." Kikyou moved aside the flap of the backroom and stepped back out.

"What do you mean?" Kaede asked, intrigued.

"She realized that no matter how pure a human is, we are still human. We are creatures of needs and wants. We can never make a wish that is truly pure and untainted. Even I refused to acknowledge that part of myself which is why Inuyasha and I suffered."

"Sister, explain" Kaede pleaded.

Kikyou noticed something tangled in the brown sheets of her bedding. She stumbled over to the mess of sheets and pulled the red cloth free. She eyed Kagome's necktie and closed her eyes in mourning. She had hated the girl fiercely at one point, but now all she felt was sympathy and some small amount of horror that she had indirectly, or directly, caused this. Kagome had been an irritating, insufferable, snotty little brat going after something Kikyou had wished for in life, Inuyasha. Kikyou had often gone out of her way to make the girl uncomfortable but now she felt stupid and petty…horrible and ultimately tainted.

She shuddered realizing that she should have never been given the jewel despite her power. She hadn't had the right personality and a stable mind for the job. She'd been a selfish little girl and some part of her still was.

Kikyou had been trained from infancy to be a Miko, from the time she had taken her first steps to the time she'd died, she had been a Miko.

She had been taught that a Miko's only use in life was to heal and protect her village. It had been honorable, she had been the pride of the village, moreso when she'd become the Shikon Miko. Men had asked for her hand in marriage but she'd had to turn them down. A Miko didn't have a life and a family, a Miko was useless after losing her virginity and yet the men still expected to somehow be protected by their previously power filled wives.

She'd hated her existence from a young age, having to train at shooting arrows while little Kaede had been allowed to run about the village and other girls were learning to sew and cook from their mothers. They had one Miko and Kikyou had been fully content with the thought of protecting her little sister from the same existence she had suffered through. Kaede could be a little girl and not a little weapon. There was no need for two Miko's as long as Kikyou was at the mantel.

That didn't mean that Kikyou didn't want to run away from it all, she protected her now orphaned sister but she wanted a life. After a building up of issues and grievances with her life, she had grimly decided that she would leave her existence as a Miko any way possible-any decent way possible.

A woman with Kikyou's upbringing had never even thought to go and sleep with a man to get rid of her powers just to become normal. That simply wasn't the way society worked. What would she have done after that, be the village whore, powerless and in a horrible situation, a sex toy? The men who had wanted her no longer wanted a spinster who was into her 20's, no one in the village would marry her, maybe in some far off village but not anywhere she knew.

Then there was Inuyasha.

He was sweet in a weird way, they got along better than most of the young couples in the village. He'd been trying to worm his way toward the jewel; a surprisingly good smooth talker when he wanted something badly enough. Kikyou had snorted in amusement and weaved a web around the foolish boy, he was smooth but she was smarter when it came to manipulation. He'd expected an innocent little miko who thought the world was full of sunshine, and the ocasional youkai to cause trouble, he'd gotten Kikyou and all her ego and greed to go with it.

In Kikyou's opinion he was a stupid and selfish little boy wanting more than was necessary. He had power and was allowed to run wild, he'd complained about his situation and Kikyou had listened, learning his history and finding out what he _really_ wanted by her own means. If he wanted the jewel, he would have to use it on her terms; be a human and be tied down just like the rest of them, like she was.

Their relationship had progressed.

Kikyou had gone into the forest and cried often because Inuyasha had been willing to marry her, a spinster, and she'd previously been hell bent on putting him in a similar situation as herself in spite. After she'd found the extent he'd been willing to go to be with her she'd insisted that he become human for different reasons. At some point Kikyou had been more than willing to be a hanyou for Inuyasha's sake, that's how much she had loved him. He had been willing to become a human for her, after some debating on Kikyou's part she'd decided it was easier to live as human couple than as a hanyou couple caught between worlds.

She'd forgotten her duty, she'd forgotten how dangerous her inattentiveness could be and she'd forgotten that the jewel fed off wants and twisted them into disgusting little demons that clung to you and destroyed your soul. How cruel her teacher had been to take away everything that had made her human, wants, desires, essential free will, then give her something that begged every fiber of her being to be foul, to make that wish for a happy life, to make that wish that could give her the world that had been stolen from her before she'd even realized her fate.

It was horribly unfair and like Kikyou had been warned the jewel could warp you into something foul and evil; not in the usual sense where the demons in the jewel came and convinced you to do horrible things but the idea of power and being free had tainted her.

She barely believed it herself but she felt human now, like an actual human girl, for the first time in her life, afterlife, and rebirth. The thought brought tears of pain to her eyes and a grin of triumph to her lips. She was a free, tainted, beautiful and ugly human, she had powers but she could never see herself as a proper miko, she would never be worthy to even glimpse at the shikon jewel again but she didn't care. Freedom was addictive and beautiful, and she owed it all to Kagome.

Kikyou decided that if they met in the afterlife when all was done, she would have to thank the younger girl who had given her freedom and a heart.

"Take me to the rest of the group, They should at least know her wish and what it has done."

Minutes later found the two sisters laboring their way across the brush to Kagome's grave site.

"Where are they Kaede?" Kikyou asked tiredly.

"They thought it would be fitting to bury her as close to home as possible."

This baffled Kikyou, "Why couldn't they take her home?"

She knew of the wells abilities but even she had a limit to what things she would and wouldn't bother, a well that ate the bones of demons and also acted as a passage through time was a little too much.

Kaede glanced at Kikyou with her one good eye, Kikyou had the sudden urge to cry for Kagome. A young woman, a warrior, unable to be buried at home, the one place where the heart could find peace.

Kaede looked away, not bothering to answer.

"The well closed?"

"Yes" Kaede said quietly.

They were both silent the rest of their walk.

When they came upon the group Kikyou was surprised to hear a child's cries long before she saw them. They reached the end of the path and looked to the tree line.

Something had just happened. The lord of the west was walking away from the group just on the other side of the well. The screaming child clutching at his pants legs was an astounding sight. He suddenly stopped and looked at the little girl. She grabbed hold of his leg and held on tightly.

Kikyou started in alarm, noticing the unsheated sword in the demon lords hands.

"Lord Sesshomaru is kind in his own way, he tried to bring Kagome-sama back for his human child." Kaede murmured to herself. Kikyou glanced at Sesshomaru, thinking him anything but kind, especially after her experiences with him. She was stunned into silence when he took the crying little girl up by the back of her orange and yellow checkered kimono, like one would a little pup. He draped her across his shoulder, sheathed his sword and moved her into the crook of his only arm. With that he began to walk away, the little green toad followed his master and ward silently.

Kaede sighed as the youkai lords party vanished into the forests and Rin's cries faded. She and Kikyou walked closer and saw Inuyasha and Sango wrapping a small figure in white furs. It was a moment later that Kikyou realized the lord of the west was missing his pelt. Inuyasha lifted and put the fragile package in the hole they'd dug. They quickly filled the grave and Shippou helped the adults cover the grave with stones.

"Kikyou" Inuyasha murmured when he spotted her.

Sango turned to rip Inuyasha a new asshole when she spotted Kikyou too. Her eyes narrowed in anger but she moved toward her fiancé.

Miroku glanced at her tiredly and Shippou didn't look at her at all. Kirara remained beside the kit licking away his tears.

"What do you want here, let us bury our friend in peace," Sango snarled.

"Or you could give her back her soul and we don't need to have this discussion" Miroku chimed in with a steel laced voice.

"I didn't take her soul, the jewel took it and only gave me what I needed." Kikyou blurted out.

It didn't budge Shippou but everyone else stared.

"Kikyou…"Inuyasha began, hurt laced in his voice.

"It's true." Kikyou snapped. Her gut was twisting as she realized she was partly responsible for the groups suffering.

"Where's the jewel" Kikyou asked.

That caused defensive shifts in stance but Kikyou continued, "I asked her where it was and she said she didn't know, only that she could feel it in her body."

"You aren't ripping the jewel out of Kagome if that's what your planning," Sango shrieked. Tears spilled down her cheeks and Sang's face redened in outrage.

"I don't want to, just tell me where it is!"

There was silence and when Kikyou realized no one was going to tell her she looked to Kaede. The old woman usually had more information than Inuyasha's little group and she wanted to know more.

"Sister, you were there with her when the Jewel vanished into her body." Kaede said carefully.

Kikyou vaguely remembered an odd snatch of memory; of opening her eyes in time to see the pink of the jewel sink into Kagome's chest leaving the jewels chain and bottle resting on her still stomach.

Kikyou took a deep breath as memories of those last few seconds of Kagome's life came to her.

"The jewel, it sank into her chest" She murmured quietly.

She looked up at the group, "She didn't mean for it to turn out like this. She was a young girl wanting to help her friends and be with her family, committing selfless suicide usually isn't anyone's plan at that age and in a situation like hers. She wanted to live and she was afraid…" Kikyou began, shaking at memories that had seemed like a bad dream.

The ex-shikon miko swallowed and worked to pull herself together.

"She told me she couldn't make a wish" She began, "that no human could truly make a wish with the Shikon and expect to get anywhere. She acknowldeged that she was human and had wants no matter how pure she was. She surpassed me in a basic understanding of human nature I had thought myself above."

Kikyou took a few minutes to ward off pain before she continued, "We were both thrown into a world between life and death, her limbo, she told me that the shikon jewel is a neutral entity swayed by the influence of those nearby it. She said she didn't make a wish but she gave the jewel a request and the option of making it's own wish."

That got startled murmurs from everyone, "Why would she do that?" Miroku asked sternly.

"Because the jewel will twist any wish someone else makes, but it won't do that to it's own wants. It is a neutral item, she didn't have to worry about the world being an eternally crumbling wasteland or a unrealistically pure place for only mikos and maybe normal humans. The jewel did want something though. If it left Kagome here but not Naraku it couldn't grant it's own wish, if it left Naraku here alone then it's the same case. Despite how hard we fought I don't think we would have won."

Kikyou blinked, feeling a bit dizzy.

"Kagome was dying so it simply released what Kagome wouldn't need anymore, my soul, and let her die. It also took Naraku am I right?"

There were nervous glances, Naraku had certainly gotten up and tried to keep fighting. He probably would have had his body not begun to fade to dust while he was on the battlefield.

"Okay so what did the jewel wish for?" Sango asked weakly.

Kikyou glanced away bitterly as everything fell neatly into place in her head. Something every demon and human could or had wished for at some point….

"Safety"

She shrugged.

"Home."

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Have you ever had a moment? You know one of those moments where nothing makes sense and you're just shit out of luck. Like watching someone take off with your brand new car then watching said car get caught in the accident of the century. Like watching the exorcist and praying when your sisters head does a 360 degree turn that it's all just a dream.

Well Kagome was there, except this was freakier.

She watched in amusement as an elephant made its way confidently across the clearing. It was three times the size of a bull elephant and seemed to be led by its obsessively large head; like a child trying to walk being lead around by weight they couldn't quite hold up.

It's eye's were an offensively bright green. Oh, and it was blue, specifically sky blue with a big yellow dot on its backside. It honestly looked like something she would have drawn in second grade except she had never had a scented marker high that would have created this creature.

Kagome giggled at her own thoughts and watched as the elephant-thing vanished into the brush.

She sat a moment looking either way across her clearing, hoping another creature decided to pass through.

She had no idea how long she had been there, sitting on a pile of stones, but it seemed like no time at all had passed since she had first woken up on her pile of rocks. They even had a nice little spot where her butt fit with unnerving comfort and a constant stream of strange creatures kept wandering by to keep her entertained.

She had seen little clouds of smoke float by, camels, racoons, even a whale-creature had floated by. That had been the most disturbing thus far, she hadn't been bothered by the fact a giant whale was making its way through her clearing just floating in the air. Kagome had gotten past the shock of seeing the creatures that lived in this place the first time she'd seen a bird that was on fire walk calmly by her.

She had, however, been rather bothered by the baby whale trailing it's mother with a bloody face and enough teeth to put a shark to shame. They had both ignored her and she'd struggled to ignore the bodiless head that hung from its mouth by long thin hair calmly saying an old poem. The sight of them had been wrong on so many levels but she'd only looked away and pretended they didn't exist because she certainly couldn't voice her opinion.

Kagome wondered why she was sitting there for the 30th time in 15 minutes. Everything was beautiful and ethereal if not freakishly scary. The sky was forever colored in vibrant reds and oranges that signified dusk. The only change she'd noticed between what they called night and day here was the purpling of the sky to give way to blue that never truly came and the lightening of the colors that would start the whole sun setting scene again.

The forest was forever pitch black and the only light peeking through the trees was the light of thousands upon thousands of fireflies. Despite the unnerving dark Kagome could see fine because of the little creatures. They never ignored her while everyone else of their world did so with a florish. The fireflies came to sit in her hair for a moment of rest before they would continue their eternal duty of lighting the forest.

It suddenly came back to her why she wasn't exploring this beautiful new world that glowed eerily under the fireflies light.

She couldn't move.

She couldn't speak, she briefly wondered why she'd been allowed to breath.

She couldn't even sleep, she only had brief moments where everything was blissfully black and she zoned out.

Kagome sighed and slapped both hands down on her knees. One hand met flesh, the other hand didn't exist. Her whole right side was missing from head to foot. She didn't feel any discomfort besides the occasional fancy that her right side was filled with helium and would start floating away at any second. She could feel her right limbs and could even pinch her right cheek with her left and hands, she simply didn't see her missing half. It was as if she had use of an outline of her right side that needed to be finished by some artist.

This had been her existence ever since she'd woken up on that damnable pile of rocks.

Kagome crossed her arm over her chest and waited for the next strange creature to pass by and amuse her. She looked up in alarm when the eternal sunset actually completed itself and the night sky settled in.

The bushes rustled and she glanced over. Kagome raised an eyebrow at her new guest, very sure she'd never seen another like him.

He was a man looking creature. Standing at about eight feet with massive hands but a reasonable looking body for his height. He was blue like a nice cloudy day. His hair was a rich night sky blue decorated with stars; wild and unkept, reaching his knees. His eyes were shocking and stood out the most, hidden by his dark hair. What would have been the white of his eyes was a bright yellow and his pupils were the color of moonlight… or were those two colors reversed. His eyes were drooped lazily as if he were a naturally laid back being.

She'd thought Inuyasha was fascinating to look at but this creature blew him clean out of the water. It didn't help that he had that otherworldly beauty that you expected of gods.

He walked on through her clearing, completely oblivious to her form. She stared after him a moment but jerked when his eyes opened wide and his head snapped around so suddenly Kagome thought he should have broken his neck. He kept walking but his head kept turning to keep her in his sight. It was if his brain was interested but his body was saying 'hell no.' Kagome whimpered when she realized his head was completely turned around on his shoulders.

He finally seemed to convince his mind and body to get along. His body did a strange swerve before he was walking directly toward her. Kagome sat and stared wide eyed, it wasn't as if she could get up and run away from him and something told her she wouldn't make if she could have.

He paused before her and stared wide eyed at her like a child who had never seen an ant.

No matter how Kagome looked at him he looked like the sky. Like a sky that supported the sun and moon. That nice little thought didn't stop the disturbed chills from running up and down her spine.

He reached out with his hand poised as if to grab a bottle of water. The meager instincts Kagome did have were screaming in alarm. She was sensing danger from this one innocent gesture. The young miko felt bile rise in her throat and unholy fear rose in her and refused to be beat down. His hand, massive enough to pick her up and crush her, was close to her torso, close to her throat.

Never being one to go down without a fight her hand darted up and smacked his hand away. He jerked and snatched his hand away. All was silent and they stared at one another.

He let his hand hang at his side and turned his eyes skyward as if thinking. He never once blinked instead he looked back to Kagome and brought his hand up slightly. He pointed a finger at her and brought it cautiously toward her chest.

Kagome's eyes narrowed she didn't like him poking her in the boobs anymore than she liked the thought of being strangled by him.

He poked her anyway.

His finger went right between her breast and Kagome gasped as said digit passed right through her sternum where he prodded something that rocked her body with pain. She shrieked and smacked his hand away again. His head did a side to side bobble as if he couldn't decide whether to be more dazed by her scream or by the fact she had just hit him again.

She glared into his unnatural colored eyes.

He pulled his finger away and hid it behind his back like a toddler hiding an interesting bit of lint they didn't want to show mommy and daddy.

"Try that again and see if I don't bite you?" Kagome promised dangerously.

He stared down at her hauntingly like a lord looking at someone who dumped his chamber pots. He still seemed uncertain and horribly confused by her. He brought his hand back around and motioned with that infamous finger of his to her chest.

Kagome looked down and blinked rapidly at the glowing pink light sitting between her half missing body. She could see half of a eerie glow just hovering there. She thanked the gods that her missing half just seemed to fade away because she'd rather not see her own insides looking like an anatomical model.

She looked up sharply and glared at him, "Yeah, so. It's mine and it hurts when you bother it so leave it alone."

He seemed uncertain if he wanted to obey her like a good little monster or poke it anyway. With a snort, he made his decision and was stunned when Kagome actually bit him.

He stood a moment, unaffected if not horribly amused by the sight of her biting viciously at his finger. It wasn't until a few minutes later when he began to feel pain that he began to worry. He tried to pull his finger free but the little Miko came with the abused digit.

He looked at her with an expression of mild horror on his face as she hung like a dog attached to a steak.

He grabbed her gently around the middle lest she bite harder when he squeezed her. The giant blue man pulled Kagome free and dropped her to examine his wounded finger. Kagome cried out as she hit her pile of rocks and rolled to lay at his bare feet that were as blue as his hair.

Kagome snarled in anger, she had been through so much and some giant prick goes and drops her like a doll. She stood and kicked him in the knee.

He looked at her with a truly baffled expression on his face.

Kagome glared up at him, "What's your problem!"

He blinked slowly at her, as if seeing her for the first time, "You don't go around poking people like that and you sure as hell don't go around poking _me_ when I tell you not too."

He nodded slowly and Kagome huffed seeing he understood.

"Now let me see."

He glared at her and Kagome stared defiantly with a hand held out expectantly. She was half amused half horrified when he showed her his finger. Kagome pet it, surprised she had actually attacked this creature that could snap her in two without a thought.

"It's okay, it's not bleeding or anything but you just don't do that," She scolded.

His expression was rather neutral as he turned and walked away, his head turning on his shoulders as he walked to the tree line. She watched him vanish never turning away from her until they didn't see one another and probably then some.

Kagome dusted off her tattered clothes, "That was freaky" She huffed. Some part of Kagome was horrified with what she'd just done. This wasn't a world of humans and she had no idea who she had just bitten. Another part of her was screaming childishly that he'd started it.

There was a pause to digest and Kagome gasped, "I can talk again!"

She glanced back at the pile of rocks and smirked.

Glancing in either direction, she decided what to do with her newfound freedom, go the exact opposite direction as her last little friend. With that decided she walked off into the forestry rubbing the abused area of her of her chest.

Kagome wandered for an eternity and a hour. There were all kinds of random things to explore in this new world. Anytime she even began to consider the fact she might be dead something in her head screamed and she blissfully forgot what she'd been thinking about. Her mind seemed unable to accept the fact she might be dead but was instead trying to fill her mind with any and every bit of information it came across. Kagome saw creatures that towered over the trees and tiny human shaped creatures that loved to kiss you in greeting then run away shyly.

There were dragons and what Kagome could only call spirits. The trees seemed to breathe and speak in tongues while the wind played lovingly with her hair and clothing, sometimes tying knots in said hair or threatening to blow her up a tree at others.

The world was always shifting.

There were times where Kagome would come across abnormal pockets that transported her to the familiar human world. She could see children playing happily at one instance and a war dramatically coming to an end with the winning party cheering in blood soaked uniforms at other times. Kagome could never interfere in these glimpses of the human world, she was a ghost observing things she didn't belong too anymore. At least that's what it felt like as she watched humans killing demons, demons killing humans and anything in between.

There were more human looking creatures like her moonlight-eyed friend. She'd come across them at random intervals. They usually stared at her dryly before going on their merry way or staring curiously, as she passed them by.

Humans sometimes fell into her world the way that she often fell into theirs, usually on purpose nowadays. They wandered around lost, sometimes they made it home, sometimes they died and their spirits were left to find peace in a strange world of abnormality. There were beasts the size of skyscrapers that hunted wayward humans and demons that fell into their plain of existence. Kagome had watched in mind numbing horror as a young man who'd slipped into this world by mistake had touched the wrong plant. Said plant had lunged up, turning into a dragon like creature made of vegetation.

He'd never had a chance.

In her attempt to run she'd attracted attention and been eaten herself. At least she'd thought so until she woke after a quick death, on her pile of rocks and generally unharmed.

She had dubbed those dragons NomNom because they reminded her of the Pac man games as she watched them fly around hunting with their mouth's yapping as if it would help them reach their goal faster.

She'd been 'killed' a few times but she'd always woken up on her pile of rocks. As usual, the stubborn you miko had gotten up, dusted herself off, and wandered off to find something else to quench her frightening thirst for knowledge of this world. Her mind blocked out everything else and now seemed to be geared only toward absorbing obsessive amounts of information at least when she wasn't being harassed by her new friend…

"What did I tell you about that!" Kagome howled smacking the large blue hand away. She glared up at her yellow-eyed friend as he cradled his abused hand close. Kagome rubbed the space between her breasts before looking sharply to the massive man creature.

She was half amused when she noticed a little white cloud inching its way across his face. It had started off a few hours ago, maybe…, over by his ear. Now it sat smack dab in the middle of his face on its way through.

She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at him

Kagome had run into him a few times over her stay in the forest. They usually came across each other every few days…or was it hours? He typically tried to poke the light that hung invitingly in the middle of her chest. She hadn't figure out why but she simply wanted him to stop.

She'd gotten fed up with her body telling her danger one minute and her mind saying 'idiot' or 'child' the next. In an effort to give him something else to concentrate on besides the light in her chest and as an attempt to figure out what was going on in the massive man's head, she'd given him a flower when he'd tracked her down one day.

He'd taken it, uncertain what to do with it, examined it, before he'd bent down and put it right back in the ground. Kagome stared in fascination when she saw the flower looked as if it had never been picked. He'd turned and walked away, watching with that eternally creepy stare. The next time he'd shown up she'd given him a lady bug. Like before, he had taken the bug examined it like he had the flower, frowned at it, before turning mutely and walking away, this time ignoring her completely.

Kagome had deemed that experiment a success, she now had an idea of where his priorities lay. That didn't stop him from coming back that same day and poking her in the back to reach the light that fascinated him so.

She glared at her companion, some part of her knew his name and knew who he was but she couldn't get the words past her lips. Shaking her head, she took her large blue friend by the hand and led him to a place to sit. She had one goal in mind right now, it was only a matter of convincing him to sit still.

"Your hair is annoying, how can you see," She murmured.

The look on his face suggested he would have been quite comfortable picking his nose if the need struck him.

"Do you have a name?"

Kagome smiled when those yellow eyes turned on her. His lip trembled and he reached out for the light in her chest. He poked her and she pinched his nose. He looked at her alarmed as Kagome ground her teeth in pain. His blue finger was poking that light in her chest and it felt like she was a chalkboard being scratched by a very anal teacher; even her ears were ringing painfully. She twisted his nose in retaliation and he wiggled where he sat and tried to pull away.

He glared at her and she glared in return.

"Move your finger, Now!" She ground out.

He inhaled and seemed to get bigger in defiance.

She dug her nails into the blue flesh around his nose and he prodded harder at the light in her chest. Kagome thought she would puke until she remembered she hadn't eaten in a very long time.

"Big Blue, move your finger or I'll bite it"

A look of disbelief crossed his face at the nickname but he was distracted and that's what mattered. Kagome mugged him trying to shove the massive man away.

He grabbed her arm and tugged it from his face.

It was a rather strange scene as they struggled.

Big Blue, as Kagome had decided to call him, sat cross legged on the ground while Kagome's much smaller form stood in front of him. They struggled in this manner glaring and snarling at each other. He opened his mouth and Kagome lurched back, alarmed by the five rows of teeth on the threshold to eternity. She peered down into the consuming darkness of his mouth and made a face that suggested he had bad breath.

She actually found him rather creepy, his mouth was open and not a wrinkle or fold of skin was out of place, it was like staring at a statue and the way his features had rearranged themselves perfectly to accommodate his expression was even more alarming. She tried to pull away and he didn't let her, as if he were teasing her with the threat of being licked should she not figure out a way to get free.

Kagome struggled and he slowly came closer.

She twisted her arm sharply and pinched his wrist. He could very well feel pain where she was concerned and when she twisted his skin sharply he released her. A one armed slap fight ensued. Kagome lost and received a bright red bruise on her right arm for her troubles. She quickly bent down and picked up a conveniently laid stick. She lodged the stick between his teeth in case that all consuming eternity that was his mouth decided to try and suck her in.

Big blue grunted in alarm, the first sound she'd really heard from him. Kagome mugged him viciously with a bright grin on her face. They struggled a bit more, he released her and she used both arms to try and shove him on his back while he tried to shove her off. Neither of them got very far much to the amusement of them both when they sat to ponder the exchange later.

He grabbed at the jewel in her chest by mistake and Kagome shrieked nearly blacking out from the pain. Her eyes watered and she gasped. When she was half aware she kicked him between the legs. She yelped when her foot past right through his most sensitive area.

He seemed to understand what her intentions had been and he tugged at the jewel in her body as retaliation. She tugged his nose angrily.

He shoved her off and she collapsed to the ground gasping wildly for air. With a huff he, unfolded a leg and draped it across the small female.

Kagome screamed in horror, disbelief and anger before she began to kick wildly.

Big Blue seemed horribly bored as he watched her kick like a child. His eyes drooped in a lazy manner and it was suddenly as if they hadn't been wrestling with one another moments before. She beat on his hard calf muscles and tugged at his silver hamaka's. Eventually Kagome tired and she lay in the grass staring at the sky. She quickly grew bored of watching the pitch black sky that followed Blue like a loyal dog, so she rolled over and he let her. She began to pick flowers and weave them together.

He watched her work silently. Kagome eventually stood, pushing his leg away without thought.

She went around to his side, looked to her weaving and decided it was much too small to fit around his head. She sat beside him and wrapped it around his wrist. Her work fit much better as a bracelet and so she worked on completing the weaving using his arm as a way to measure it's size.

Kagome paused when she noticed she was working with two hands, two hands that she could see at least. Kagome lifted her right arm and stared at the limb as if it were not her own.

"When did the other half of my body show up again?" She pondered aloud.

Blue took her arm and examined it too, just as curious as she was. He obviously hadn't realized he was tugging on her returned limb earlier. Kagome looked down and was stunned to see her body whole again…well she was see through now but that was better than using a whole half of your body you couldn't see but knew was there.

She smiled, some part of her not at all alarmed, in fact she felt wonderful. Before she'd felt strange inside and now she felt…well whole again.

She smiled at her good friend and they shared a glance. He shrugged and Kagome smiled in amusement. "Is that light still showing?" She asked him, unable to see it herself.

He stared a long moment. It was then that Kagome knew it was still there and he was trying to stop himself from tugging or poking the light that fascinated him like none other. Kagome pet his shoulder and stood. He looked at his bracelet curiously.

She wiggled her fingers experimentally and walked around to stand behind him.

"Be still for a bit" She laced a hand in his hair and immediately pulled her hands back. She blinked startled quickly wrapped her hand in her shirt. She stood a moment willing the extremity to warm itself. A long moment later she unwrapped her hand and stared. Her fingers were wrinkled and a painful pink as if she'd stuck her hand in a bucket of ice water.

Frowning in confusion, she looked to Blue. He glanced back and blinked innocently at her.

Kagome crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. She couldn't stand seeing his hair hanging in his face like that. She wondered how he hadn't gone crazy or blind.

"Blue do you have some cloth or something?"

He glanced at her dryly then looked away.

Kagome made a face and readied to ask again when he reached in his top and pulled out a long strip of silver cloth, the same as his current clothes. He kept pulling out more and more. Kagome watched as the cloth began to pool on the ground. When she realized he wasn't going to stop she reached forward and caught his arm. He blinked at her, "I only need a little" She assured him.

He looked to the pile of cloth then looked back to her, seemingly annoyed and uncertain what to do with it all.

Kagome took an end of the cloth and looked up to Blue. He heaved a breath and used one of his horribly taken care of nails to cut the cloth. The tear was ragged but it got the job done. Kagome had him cut two more bits of cloth before she sat with the strips and held one end with her feet while she braided it tightly. She admired her work then went to stand behind him again. She held both ends and swung the braid over his head. He flailed in alarm when he was smacked in the face and the braid was dragged up over his forehead, pulling his moonlight hair back at the same time.

Kagome nibbled at her lip as she pulled the braided cloth back and quickly tied back his hair in a loose ponytail. She wrapped the braid around the underside of his hair a few times and tied a knot. The cloth held his hair back for the most part though a few wayward strands fell back in his face.

He blinked startled and cautiously smoothed his hair back. Blue turned and looked at her strangely. Kagome smiled in triumph and sat at his side.

"How's that?"

He tilted his head side to side experimentally testing the weight of his very long hair as it swayed back and forth behind him.

He took a lock of it and tugged at it. Kagome admired the twinkling stars in his dark locks. He reached over and pet her head happily. Kagome smiled amused and pet his hand in response. She watched him play with his hair a while longer before she stood.

His hand shot out without warning and he jabbed her in the side with his finger. She smacked him away and looked instinctively to see if he'd left a bruise. She was prepared to yell at him but paused when she lifted her shirt and saw what had caught his attention. While she didn't have a bruise, she found her side wasn't see through anymore. Frowning to herself she looked to the arm that was holding her shirt up. While her torso was solid she could see clearly through her arm.

She looked back to her side and noticed the pale glow around her solid flesh. His finger came at her again to poke at her glowing side but she easily smacked him away.

Kagome held up her hand and peered at Blue through the transparent flesh.

"Oh…" she blinked at him bewildered, "Is that normal?"

He shrugged.

Kagome nodded an annoyed smile curling on her lips, "Great"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A muffled thump echoed loudly in the room.

Aneko blinked and glanced up from the massive tomb she'd been thumbing through. It was quiet again and Aneko stood still hoping, waiting, for the sound to reach her again.

Another thump, then a quiet breath echoed in the room.

Humming in delight, the witch left her book and maneuvered her way through the messy study. She kicked a wayward scroll out of the way and paused, "Oooo finally decided to come back did you Kagome?" She purred.

She pulled the filthy pelt away and stared at the sleeping girl stretched out on her table. Aneko wiped away a bit of soil from her wards dark hair.

With a sigh, she leaned on the table watching the color return to Kagome's face and the slight rise and fall of her chest.

"You certainly took forever, I was ready to put you back in the ground." Aneko stared a moment longer before grabbing Kagome's arm and rolling her onto her side. She pushed the pelt aside but paused when bright red appeared in the corner of her eye. She turned to the doorway and found a blood red terrier sized kitsune staring at her with wide innocent eyes of electric violet.

She tensed in anger, "Damned fox, what are you doing in here!" She snarled

The kitsune fled with a mocking bark just as Aneko flung an empty vial at the creatures head. Grumbling angrily she turned back to her ward.

"I'll have to catch that little bastard again. He got free from my spells."

With a sigh she tore away the soiled clothing of Kagome's uniform to eye the younger females back. Aneko smiled to herself when the seals she had drawn were revealed to her. They glowed an angry red and Aneko grinned violently, her eyes flashing in the dim candle light.

"This should be interesting my little apprentice."

Eyes glowing she turned back to the doorway and rolled up her sleeves, "Now, I can't have my spell ingredients running rampant in my home now can I."

Rolling her shoulders, she started from the room.

"Katsuuuuuuu," She sang sweetly, picking up her wand of bells from a nearby table before vanishing out the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome scratched absently at her back. Beside her, Blue shifted and they both watched in interest as cherry blossoms carried by a wind that somehow resembled a human, danced through the clearing. They giggled and the wind creatures would throw their wares away as if giving a peep show before snatching the blossoms from the air back onto their forms.

Boredom had drawn Kagome and Blue into another fight and Kagome had decided, after once again being pinned by his leg, that she would follow him around.

That had gone well, however Blue got into surprising amounts of trouble. She'd seen two other creatures like him get into a knockdown drag out fight that Blue had to break up. Soon after that he'd led her to another fight that he'd broken up with a well placed kick. It had been rather humors to see two Blue size people crumbled on the ground while staring up at him innocently like two younger children would stare at a big brother. From there everything had been peaceful. He'd shown her a magnificent waterfall that had reflected every color of the rainbow and then some.

Another human had fallen onto their plane existence and they'd stalked the poor woman for a while. It was more Blue following the woman obsessively trying to grab her and Kagome being his leash before he hurt said female as Kagome's instincts kept screaming he would.

The woman had fallen back into the human world soon after her arrival, with a little manipulation on Kagome's part, and frustration had caused Blue to poke Kagome. He'd been slapped in the face for his trouble and scolded good. Since then he had behaved and then it was Kagome's turn to decide what to do.

Not having a clue where to begin and afraid he might kill a human if she took him to earth, she'd taken him back to her pile of stones, sat with him, and not a few minutes later one of the many strange creatures of this plane had come passing through. That was a while ago, the dancing cherry blossom spirits were certainly interesting to watch though and Blue seemed to think them incredibly funny.

He pointed at one of the dancing spirits with the finger Kagome had gnawed on a while ago. His finger glowed brightly and Kagome smacked his hand down before he hurt someone. He held his hand close like a reprimanded child and Kagome rolled her eyes, glancing to her own hands.

Her wrists were solid and the eerie glow was nearly to her fingers. Stretching out her legs she saw that her feet were solid and glowing. Kagome wiggled her toes that had been tingling not too long ago.

The numb feeling was starting to seep into her fingers and she knew the tingling would soon follow.

With a sigh she glanced to Blue. He chewed at one of his horrid looking finger nails and bit it off. He spat it aside, the nail turned to a fog and the remains, his spit, fell to the ground and beautiful flowers sprouted.

Kagome's eye twitched in annoyance.

The cherry blossom spirits continued on their way through and all was silent.

Blue busied himself watching the fireflies until the next round of entertainment wandered through. Kagome looked to the light quickly creeping up her fingers.

"Should I be worried about this, is something supposed to happen?"

She got no answer and so they sat and waited in silence.

The bushes rustled and they both turned as a badger made of soil scampered from the bushery. It was tiny and cute with huge Kirara like green eyes. It paused, looked around, then turned into a massive drooling beast with a giant head. Both Blue and Kagome looked on in interest as it snarled at them and trashed about violently making the fireflies flee. The area quickly became pitch black and Kagome silently marveled at how much work those little glowing bugs did for the area.

Kagome looked to Blue and he held up that damn finger.

She sniffed and smacked his hand down. Kagome was beyond fed up with him and his accursed finger. She stood as Blue glared at her, confused by the scolding he'd gotten.

She stomped over to giant snarling creature. It growled at her, and Kagome glared. Without hesitation she raised a hand and wacked the badger over the nose. It flinched away from her startled and Kagome pointed to the forest, "Go on, get, I'm tired of all you wacko's. I've got one to take care of I don't need another one!" She yelled angrily at the creature.

It blinked at her and glanced to Blue. He shrugged looking horribly amused.

Kagome shoved its muzzle toward the forest and it turned obediently, looking dazed. She pet its hind leg in a praising manner as it walked into the forest quickly shrinking. Kagome shook her head and looked at Blue. He blinked at her horribly impressed and mildly amused.

She walked and eyed him in annoyance, "Is there some creature here that's not completely nuts?"

He stared at her a long moment, tilted his head, then nodded. For once he aimed that bothersome finger at himself and Kagome stifled a laugh.

"So I guess that mean I'm as crazy?"

He nodded as if this were fact.

Kagome made a face, "I'm not crazy" She said seriously.

He looked in the direction the scolded badger had run off too. Kagome followed his gaze and thought about it a moment.

"Oh…"

She turned and sat heavily on the rocks before staring into the forest, watching as the fireflies cautiously moved back into the area. Absently Kagome looked to her hands. She was surprised to find the glow at her fingertips and nearly finished. Her hand was solid once again but she was more worried about what the strange glow meant.

She watched the light finally surround every inch of her body. Kagome sat a moment expecting something to happen. Blue ignored her completely, letting the fireflies land on his finger like little birds.

Kagome huffed and slumped where she sat, disappointed and confused. Dropping her chin onto her knee's she settled down to watch the fireflies for a while when suddenly a hand fell on her shoulder.

She blinked in confusion but when she tried to see who it was, she noticed the figure moving.

A woman came forward and knelt before them. Her dark clothing and armor struck a cord in Kagome's mind. She bowed humbly on the ground before standing again. Seconds later the woman sat beside Kagome on her pile of rocks, stretched out, and looked at Kagome with a smile.

Kagome stared long in hard, disbelief in her eyes.

She looked away a moment. Blue wasn't as alarmed as Kagome was and so he openly stared. When Blue reached over Kagome with that DAMNED finger of his, Kagome was forced to smack his hand away, therefore acknowledging the woman at her side.

With a deep breath, she looked to the woman who had seemingly come out of nowhere.

"Y-your Midoriko."

The infamous creator of the Shikon Jewel was staring at Blue in confusion, oblivious to the danger he and his accursed finger posed.

"I am," She smiled, turning warm kind eyes on Kagome, "Your Kagome" she joked.

Kagome gave a half grin of disbelief.

"Can I have your autograph?"

Midoriko blinked and laughed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Thank you for reading, as usual leave a comment if you'd like.


	5. Reincarnation

Hello!

I'm going to start by saying this chapter has lots of information and I just realized I did this. I really want to update SOMETHING so I'm going to post this and if it's overboard I'll repost a rewrite later…

In the meantime a guide to what the hell happened this chapter is at the end so read it after you read the chapter if you don't understand.

**No such thing as Fate** is on hold. I'm doing senior seminar and trying to get editors to look at those CRAPPY first chapters while I try to graduate with a decent paper.

Onward!

Chapter 5: Reincarnation

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Blue stared to the sky silent and thoughtful. The stars twinkled invitingly and he eyed them with a sharp focused gaze, cataloging each flash and shimmer in the sky.

He blinked slowly before letting his gaze roll to the two females sitting by his side. They had been quiet for the longest time, just staring at each other. It was as if they were memorizing one another's faces, Kagome with the awe of seeing her favorite model in person and Midoriko with the gaze of an interested older sister seeing a younger sibling for the first time.

Blue snorted at them both. Kagome jumped and Midoriko blinked lazily and glanced to him. Kagome pet his arm absently, partly to make sure his hand was where she wanted and the other to comfort him for reason's she didn't understand.

He huffed like an indignant child but was ignored.

"You look like me…" Kagome reached out hesitantly. Midoriko took the offered hand and pressed it to her cheek.

"I've noticed, it's quite strange," the older Miko closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth from Kagome's hand.

"You're so pretty," Kagome blushed at her own comment. Midoriko only looked amused. "You look more like Kikyou though. Does that mean Kikyou is your reincarnation?"

Midoriko frowned and pulled Kagome's hand from her cheek, "Well…I think that would be rather difficult to reincarnate a soul that hasn't passed on."

Kagome froze, "Then why do we look so much alike, why do you look so much like Kikyou?"

Midoriko sighed and looked thoughtfully to the forest, all the while holding Kagome's hand close.

She hummed, "I did have siblings, two sisters."

Kagome squinted, not quite understanding where the older woman was going with the conversation.

"My younger sisters were such silly girls, they argued constantly. The youngest was a wild little thing, traveling did good to calm her. The other was always into something she wanted knowledge and her thirst caused it's problems, most of the time I disapproved of what she got into but it made her happy and so we let her be. We traveled constantly, outcasts so that we could have some semblance of peace and be ourselves."

Kagome listened enraptured. The wary glances from Midoriko told Kagome that her blue friend was listening too and staring in that creepy way that made your skin crawl.

"My sister, my poor younger sister died long before I did in the battle against those creatures….so many of them," Midoriko shook her head, brown eyes darkening at the memory.

"Why don't we hear the story of your sisters, we only hear about you and your battle. I had no idea you even had sisters," Kagome gushed both excited and horrified. "I've constantly been told that it was you alone who fought and created the jewel."

Midoriko jerked back as if offended, "What nonsense is that? I'm a miko not a goddess. I would have fallen quickly if not for my sisters."

Midoriko continued in a subdued manner.

"I do not know what attracted the first demons to us, probably the prospect of killing three Miko's who had been causing trouble where there had been no opposition against them before. The first few appeared and we were able to fight them off but our battle kept attracting more and more…." Midoriko paused thoughtfully, "I think it may have been a planned attempt at our lives. We were three powerful Mikos, nothing short of a horde could stop us, and alas a horde five times over is what we got."

Midoriko sighed painfully and Kagome took Midoriko's hands in her own with a sad smile and an encouraging nod.

"Our youngest sister; so young, only 14, and so frightened, near hysterical," Midoriko moaned. "As her older sisters, we had to see that she be allowed to survive. The second oldest created the jewel from her own soul, it burst forth from her body killing her instantly. It was a long hard struggle but my youngest sister kept a barrier up and fought off what she could while I prepared the jewel with prayers and powerful magic's. I sealed the demons into the jewel with my own soul as sacrifice, hoping to hold them and keep my remaining sister safe. She charged herself with protecting the jewel from other influences that would tip the balance of power. She even sealed her own powers for fear that her influence would break the bead and start the battle all over again, wasting her sisters efforts."

"…So you think me and Kikyou are the reincarnations of your sisters?"

Midoriko squeezed her hands, "I believe so." There were tears in her eyes, "My sisters swore to help me stop that evil horde in any way they could. We swore to take care of each other and we have," She gave a chuckle, "In the most absurd way possible, but we have never followed the normal rules of society."

"But I don't feel like your sister Midoriko-san. None of that makes sense anyway. I'm supposed to be Kikyou's reincarnation, we share a soul."

Midoriko gave a huff, "Kikyou did that to herself. She died after the jewel was passed on to her. She had the jewel burned with her body, the jewel caused its mischief and you were given Kikyou's soul and your own soul when you were born. It was yours, both of my sisters working together to guard the jewel from influence."

Kagome's eye jumped in irritation, "Then she came back from the grave and snatched the soul back."

Midoriko agreed with a nod.

"Okay, who is who if what you say is true and shouldn't a soul be missing. The Shikon jewel is made from…Kikyou's soul right. She's older than me…so that means she has my soul…ugh!" Kagome moaned in confusion.

Midoriko made a face, "Not quite…being an elder sibling in one life doesn't always mean that it will be the same in the next, in fact you two aren't even siblings this time around. That is beside the fact you are from a very strange era Kagome."

Kagome's eyes gleamed and she wondered how much Midoriko knew of the future where skyscrapers and fast food dominated.

"Okay, so I've been running around on energy from Kikyou's soul and she was kind of right to hate me for having said soul. Just peachy, I at least understand that now."

Midoriko raised an eyebrow as Kagome forced out a calming breath.

"So where is my soul, playing hooky somewhere?"

Midoriko ignored the sarcasm skillfully, "We'll like I said, it is the jewel or at least half your soul is the jewel. Kikyou's soul was a temporary replacement, or rather support, for the missing half that was used to make the jewel."

Kagome blinked a few times at the other woman, "Are you trying to tell me my soul is a little bead that has caused chaos and suffering across japan?"

Midoriko stared at Kagome in a very aloof and Kikyou manner. Kagome expected Midoriko to deny it, maybe reassure her, she was horribly shocked when Midoriko said, "Yes" quite bluntly.

"That makes no sense!" Kagome howled desperately. She snatched her hands from Midoriko's and stood.

"Kagome," Midoriko stood quickly and took Kagome's face in her hands before the younger miko could explode in anger.

"Kagome, dearest Kagome, I didn't come here to scare you" She cooed.

Kagome glanced up with tears in her eyes, Midoriko was a full head taller making Kagome feel awkward as she tried to meet the older woman's gaze.

"Then what are you here for. I'm not your sister and I don't think I want the extra responsibility of that title."

"Title? Whatever you may be to me I feel you are my savior."

Kagome paused in shock.

"There have been others before you Kagome, who fought and died to protect the jewel, others before Kikyou," She tenderly brushed a strand of dark hair from Kagome's face. "You are the first to set me free, you are the first to see past your own fears of the jewel and its place in the world."

Kagome stared not quite believing the woman before her.

She giggled and the sound quickly became a desperate laugh tinged with fear.

"I set you free? Then where is the jewel, where are the demons that you sacrificed yourself to seal!"

Midoriko let her hands fall to her side, "The jewel went home, its desperate wish. It completed your damaged soul."

"Where are the demons?"

"They are a part of the jewel Kagome," Midoriko explained sternly, "The jewel has fused with your soul as it should have been at the beginning; sealing the demons for all of eternity yet combining your soul with theirs."

"What did you do to me," Kagome whimpered in disbelief bagging away.

Midoriko closed her eyes, her expression pained.

"I didn't do anything. You made the decision to become a witch, to become a demon." Kagome was ashen as Midoriko continued.

"I had never thought of such a solution, neither had anyone else. To become a demon and take the jewel onto yourself…The thought would offend another Miko but I see now it was the only way to control the jewels power. I feel like an imbecile for thinking someday the battle would be won against the demons."

Kagome stood a moment blinking slowly. "Are you trying to tell me I've become a demon?"

Midoriko blinked rapidly, "Of course you are. You wished to become a youkai, to become a witch, the jewel only took advantage of the changes already happening. Besides that, you do need a soul to live and Kikyou's soul isn't there to support the soul you still do have. It worked before but now…"

Kagome swayed feeling faint.

Midoriko stepped closer and Kagome stumbled away with a nervous laugh.

"Well none of that matters here, I'm dead! I died fighting Naraku!" She blurted out.

Midoriko's eyes widened suddenly making sense of the situation.

Kagome had been immensely calm since the begging of all this mess. She had seemed to accept it and had even spoken to Kikyou without anger or rage before being flung from limbo.

It wasn't that she had accepted her situation, it was fierce denial.

That was besides the fact that she probably hadn't wanted to leave the living realm spitting mad and filled with hatred like Kikyou had.

Midoriko considered the younger woman a moment before nodding slowly, "Kagome, you are alive."

Quiet swept the area.

Blue looked between the two still and silent women in interest.

He took a deep breath and dug in his ear absently looking for something more interesting than Kagome's emotional roller coaster.

"I'm alive?" Kagome whispered. Color rushed back into her face and it was if the rest of the conversation had never happened.

"Hai, you chose a most selfish mistress to teach you Kagome. A witch like Aneko won't let an apprentice she put so much work into just die without it being her fault"

A chill ran up her spine at that bit of information but she smiled lopsidedly anyway.

"I'm alive?"

Kagome swayed and Midoriko rushed forward with a squeak as the younger woman collapsed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shippou tilted his head, frowned, then tilted his head the other way.

The pile of rocks didn't move.

He glanced to the one rock that was out of place, laying innocently on the ground beside all its siblings. He then glanced back to the pile of rocks.

This didn't make sense. If one of the rocks had fallen away it had to come from somewhere.

The pile tapered into a pyramid of sorts with one single rock balanced precariously on the very top. If a strong enough wind came through it usually fell over and Shippou was always the one to put it back.

To move any of the rocks meant that the top one had to fall over except it hadn't…

Shippou squinted and walked around the grave. Another rock sat on the other side, displaced from the pile.

Shippou huffed and went to sit at the foot of the grave.

_Someone messed with the rocks. Who would put it back at the top though?_

A butterfly fluttered absently into the clearing. Shippou watched it quietly as it swept past his face. A breeze blew and the little creature didn't fight it. The butterfly flew back and landed lightly on the grave for a rest.

With the breeze came a scent on the wind.

Shippou sighed to himself and minutes later quiet footsteps paused behind him.

"Shippou?"

Kikyou stood by the well, an innocent hand resting on its rim. He blinked warily at her then turned back to watch the butterfly. It was gone and Shippou sighed in disappointment.

"What are you doing?"

Shippou didn't respond immediately but when he did his tone was one of defeat.

"Visiting Kagome-chan."

Kikyou came forward and lowered herself to the ground beside Shippou. They sat in silence a moment before Shippou finally dared to look at her. She sat with her a knee propped up and an arm draped across her lap. The bags under her eyes revealed stress and many a night without sleep. Despite how relaxed and in control she seemed Shippou could feel her irritation and energy humming just under the surface. Not miko energy, just physical energy as if she would jump up and run through the forest like a mad woman.

Shippou sniffed again and snorted.

Now, instead of smelling like grave soil and death, she smelled of depression and irritation, Shippou honestly couldn't decide which scent was worse.

He sighed again.

"You sigh a lot for a child…like a grown man with the weight of the world on his shoulders."

"I'm a child with the weight of the world on my shoulders. Not much difference." Kikyou glanced at him and he gave a wry smile, "I certainly act more mature than most grownups"

The ex-Shikon Miko shrugged, she couldn't deny the kit that truth.

"You look like crap," he said bluntly eyeing the shadows of Kikyou's face.

Kikyou stiffened, "You're a rude child, did you know that?"

Shippou gave another of those smiles that should never be on the face of one so young.

"I think I'm allowed this much"

Kikyou forced out a frustrated breath, once again finding she couldn't deny the kit's words.

Shippou shook his head, "Inuyasha is sad," He began bright green eyes shining, "and being mean to others is how he gets energy I think. It doesn't help after what happened."

He paused uncertainly then continued, "I think you should sit him like Kagome used to do. That'll set him straight"

Kikyou rubbed the bags under her eyes with a low chuckle, "Sometimes I wish I could kit. I think that would hurt him more than anything else I've ever done." She smiled tightly, "Taking Kagome's famed subjugation and using it against him after her death."

Kikyou looked to the pile of stones, "I could have done it when I was dead," she admitted wistfully.

"Why?" Shippou asked, squinting at her suspiciously.

Kikyou made a face, "Well, because I was angry at the world. I never ever expected to be brought back to life, no matter what I did. It's just against the flow of the things. I was sabotaging everyone's life just because I could and they had what I had wished for." A thought suddenly struck Kikyou and she smiled at the irony, "Dead or alive, this mind and heart of mine is only human."

She crossed her legs and smiled knowingly at Shippou, "You know Kagome taught me that."

Shippou laughed at that, "She called them epiphanies. It was something that might change the world."

Kikyou pondered this in amusement, "I'm not sure about changing the world but it's done something to me. I don't mind it so much," She admitted.

Shippou giggled and Kikyou smiled. She hadn't come with the intention of cheering Shippou up but it made her feel good nonetheless.

"Do you have advice to deal with the rest of the village?" She asked curiously.

Shippou's laughter faded eventually and he glanced to her with light in his eyes, "Time, at least for Miroku and Sango. They might never like you but the hostility will go away someday. I didn't know you were having trouble with the rest of the village."

Kikyou looked away her expression wistful, "They accept me because I know about medicine and Kaede is old." She absently ran a hand down her smooth youthful face, a strange light in her eyes.

Shippou pressed his lips together and nodded, "That's just the humans in this village, they've gotten used to strange happenings so it doesn't bother them as much as it would other humans."

Kikyou shrugged at that and they settled into comfortable silence.

"Do you miss her alot Shippou?"

A frown creased his brow and Kikyou wondered when lines had begun to appear in his expressions.

"Of course I do and it hurts real bad," He admitted.

"Pain fades with time" she said quietly.

The comment amused Shippou to no end and Kikyou smirked.

"I don't think it will. It's been months, and it still hurts. I think it's because," he paused in thought then nodded as if liking his train of thought, "She was my mother."

Kikyou's head tilted at that and she met Shippou's gaze. She felt the child had revealed more about his past than he'd originally intended but his stern gaze and the set of his posture said he knew very well what he'd told her even if it made him uncomfortable.

"I never knew my mother either," Kikyou admitted quietly.

"Oh?"

Kikyou looked to the pile of stones, "I was taken for training soon after I was born. I'd seen my mother but I didn't 'know' her."

Shippou seemed uncertain how to respond to that and his eyes shifted nervously.

Kikyou reached out and put a hand to his bright red hair.

"You may be a very intelligent kit but don't force yourself to carry troubles on your own. That is my problem not yours. Go be a child while you can," She said quietly, "Because once this time is past you don't ever get it back may you be demon or human."

Shippou nodded after a long moment.

"Kagome would scold me right now if she knew I'd spent months staring at her grave looking lost." He admitted with a groan.

"You're grieving kit, nobody is going to tell on you," Kikyou promised.

Shippou shrugged and climbed to his feet.

Kikyou paused then quickly reached in her sleeve, "That's right I came to give you something." Shippou stood before her his tail twitching as he stretched.

She pulled out a dark cloth and unwrapped it to reveal another cloth, bright red and familiar.

"This was Kagome's. I wanted to keep it to remember all the things I did and what was lost because of my actions." She offered the cloth cradled in another cloth to Shippou. He took the necktie of Kagome's uniform.

"But I realized it wasn't mine to keep, you deserve this much more than I ever will."

Kikyou stuffed the dark cloth away and stood as Shippou pressed the necktie to his face.

"Kagome…it's Kagome's scent," he whimpered. He glanced up with tears in his eyes, "Thank you," He said quietly.

Kikyou nodded and stood slowly. Shippou stood numbly with the cloth watching as Kikyou dusted the dirt from her bottom. She reached over and took the necktie from him and he reached for it alarmed. She squatted before him and wrapped it around his ponytail.

He relaxed and blinked up at her, "You take care of that kit, I don't have anything else to give you if you lose it."

He nodded as she turned and began to walk away.

Shippou watched her go a moment before something made him call out to her.

"Where are you going?"

Kikyou glanced at him amused, "what do you mean?"

Shippou frowned. Of course she was going into the village, what had made him ask?

Kikyou nearly smiled at the confusion on his face.

"I'm going kit, you're right."

He glanced up, "Where?"

"Anywhere. Everyone needs time and so do I. I am a selfish woman Shippou and don't let any other Miko tell you they are any better. We are humans forced into servitude. I want to be free. I'm causing pain and making myself sick trying to remain here, that's beside the fact I hated being here in my last life."

Kikyou took her hair down from its ponytail and ran her hands through it absently.

"You better take of yourself, or I'll hate you forever" Shippou called after her.

She stood and thought about it a second before she smirked knowingly and continued down the path to the village.

Shippou frowned and glanced back.

"No bye's Kagome-chan, I'll see you later."

Shippou bowed to the grave before turning and racing away.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I'm alive?"

Midoriko sighed at the hysterical murmur from her ward.

"Yes young one, I know." She stroked Kagome's hair.

Kagome lay on her back with her arms pulled tightly to her body as if a straitjacket were restraining her. Her head rested on Midoriko's lap and the older miko worked to keep her calm.

It seemed the shock of everything, from the battle with Naraku to the announcing of her status, had finally caught up with her. Kagome coughed and blinked up at Midoriko, a steady stream of tears flowing from her eyes, wetting the pants leg acting as her pillow.

Midoriko felt immensely bad for her.

A figure appeared from the forest and she frowned at Blue's form walking toward them. His hand's were held out in a strange manner as if he were carrying something precious.

Midoriko squinted uncertainly, this man looking creature was rather strange and she wasn't about to try and figure out what was wrong with both him and this upside down realm they were now inhabiting. He came closer and some part of Midoriko wanted to shy away, possibly hide in a deep dark cave with a massive rock in front of it.

In his hand was what appeared to be a big glob of…some wiggling, slimy looking water he was impossibly holding in his hands.

Blue came closer and stood over the two women. Midoriko gazed at him with horror in her eyes and Kagome blinked groggily at the huge hunk of what looked like gel.

Blue took a deep breath and Kagome felt her face twist into something fierce and angry.

"You better not," she stared up at him and he seemed to be debating whether to listen or not.

He made his decision.

Both Kagome and Midoriko shrieked as he gave the blob of gel a little toss and moved his hands away.

Kagome tried to sit up but the gel fell like a sac of bricks. Most of the mess missed Midoriko but Kagome gasped as she suddenly found herself drowning. Midoriko threw her hands up in alarm as the younger woman struggled for breath.

By pure force of will, she snatched herself free from the water-gel with a frantic gasp. She rolled over and coughed up the liquid that had gotten into her mouth, her hair, and everywhere else.

Kagome looked to Blue who seemed immensely proud of himself for almost drowning her. She gave a snarl and jumped to her feet.

Midoriko watched numbly as Kagome ran over, stopped, and kicked Blue viciously in the knee. He stumbled away trying to grab at his abused leg and failing horribly. He shoved her and Kagome collapsed to the ground with a gasp.

"That's it!"

Kagome seemed to pull a stick from nowhere and she swung the two-by-four at Blue. He stumbled away and Kagome was yanked forward from the force of her missed swing. Blue took the chance to run away and Kagome followed him with rage etched in her features.

Midoriko rubbed her eyelids to ward off a headache before watching Blue and Kagome race about the clearing. It was mighty funny, she had never seen someone of Blue's size run so fast and the fact he was running from such a little bitty thing as Kagome added to the absurdity.

Absently she rubbed her hands down her thighs noting the cloth was dry, even Kagome's tears had dried up.

She looked and saw Kagome's hair still clung to her but was quickly drying. There was no other traces that the gel had ever been there.

Midoriko didn't know what Blue had done to Kagome but it had snapped her from the shock.

Blue caught Kagome's wrist and they struggled. Midoriko frowned as the real horror of this situation dawned on her.

Did Kagome realize who she was trying to beat with a stick…

Blue opened his mouth revealing darkness and eternity that threatened to swallow Kagome up. The young miko wasn't alarmed. She snatched free and tried to shove the stick down his throat.

Blue bit the stick before it could cause any damage and shook his head like a dog destroying the master's morning newspaper.

Midoriko raced toward them, "Kagome you don't want to-"

Blue and Kagome turned at once and blinked at her in confusion.

Midoriko realized she had just missed something…they couldn't be playing could they.

"Kagome you aren't mad are you?"

Kagome's smiled, "Of course not, Blue's just a big brat. It's hard to stay mad at him."

The stick still gripped in Kagome's hand jerked violently and Kagome yanked it free of Blues mouth with alarm. Her weapon looked as if a massive pencil sharpener had gotten hold of it and someone quite clumsy had broken the lead after the initial sharpening. There were even groves in the wood that seemed to suggest Blues head had at some point been spinning around.

She stared at the stick in disbelief then turned and jabbed Blue in the side. He grunted and glared at her. Kagome grinned brightly and Midoriko stared still alarmed by all this.

"Kagome, do you know what he is?"

Kagome thought about it then shrugged.

"Just Blue"

Midoriko nodded slowly, "Where did you learn such a name?"

"I made it up."

"Oh."

Midoriko stared, uncertain how to continue. She vaguely remembered having similar conversations with her younger sibling about why you couldn't keep mud demons as pets and such.

"Kagome, I don't know who he is but this isn't a realm for you and I, in fact I'm quite stunned we're here. This isn't the human realm or the afterlife I think it's safe to assume we're in a realm of gods and spirits."

"Oh," Kagome glanced at Blue seeming to realize what Midoriko was saying, "Oooooh, ok"

Her gaze was thoughtful, "Well Blue's my friend, so I guess it's ok"

Blue shrugged giving his input on the whole situation.

Midoriko rubbed her temple, turned, and walked away.

"Where are you going?"

"I have a headache, I don't think the dead are supposed to suffer such things."

Kagome frowned, "So you're ready to pass on?"

Midoriko paused as if suddenly realizing that was an option for her. Kagome smiled and came closer, rubbing away the evidence of her earlier crying fit.

"I think," Midoriko looked to her with eyes alight, "I would like that very much. Rest after fighting so long is…"

"Unimaginable, a wonderful thought, peace?" Kagome filled in for her.

Midoriko didn't need to answer but the look she gave Kagome said it all.

Kagome took Midoriko's hand, "Me and Blue will show you the way?"

Midoriko frowned as Kagome pulled her along gently and Blue followed them, his gaze bored.

"There's a 'way' to the afterlife?"

"Yeah, when you've been here as long as I have you just find these things. Blue gave me a little tour so that helped"

Midoriko shook her head baffled, "Weren't you just in horrible shock?" She asked, feeling stressed by Kagome's random mood swings.

"Yeah, but I'm over it. I'm happy to be alive. Believe me if I hung on everything that's happened to me in my life I'd be crazy"

Midoriko eyed her but said nothing.

They walked all of 5 minutes before they stood at a wall of light. It was about the size of obscenely large double doors, as tall as the oldest oak trees. Midoriko had expected something a little different, especially not such a short walk to something so strange. She walked around the wall of light absently, finding it looked the same no matter the angle. Finally, she came to stare with Kagome and Blue.

"The afterlife is a wall of light? Does that mean everyone goes through and ends up in the same place?"

Kagome tilted her head, "I don't think so but I've never been through." She stepped closer to Midoriko and they examined the portal together.

"How do you know all this?"

"I don't know, I just learned a whole ton of stuff while I've lived here. I stopped questioning it a while ago. Besides how do you question the existence of something like him?" Kagome motioned over her shoulder to Blue.

Midoriko chuckled at that and Kagome grinned.

"Oh Kagome," Midoriko paused and stared, "Your see through"

Kagome examined her hand and shrugged with an annoyed look on her face, "Not the first time I've been see through. At least Blue hasn't tried to poke me yet."

Midoriko only shook her head at the both of them.

"There are a few of these all over. There are people who just die and go to the afterlife automatically then there are people who linger on earth or limbo for whatever reason. They fall onto this plain eventually and then they can wander toward one of these portals." Kagome explained quietly.

"Oh."

There was a whimper and all three of them turned to look.

A child as transparent as Kagome stood at the tree line. He was probably about 6 or 7 with raggedy little clothes. His eyes were slitted, the color of bark stripped wood and his ears were pointed. A little demon child.

"I have to go to that," He asked pitifully eyeing what had to be an opposing doorway to a child.

Kagome's eyes widened and she looked at it, as did Midoriko. They looked at one another, "It is very scary isn't it little one." Midoriko held out her hand to the child.

He looked like he would rush to her, not yet taught to fear mikos, but he paused and glanced back.

"There's no going back," Midoriko advised gently.

He looked back to her and came forward timidly.

He slid his hand into hers and Midoriko was mildly surprised at how solid he felt despite his appearance.

Kagome stepped back as Midoriko swung the child up into her arms, they both looked to the portal. Some part of Kagome was horribly surprised by the turn of events. After all Midoriko had been through, she thought the legendary miko would be wary of demons, no matter how small.

"We'll go together," Midoriko said softly brushing a thumb over his chin.

He nodded seeming pleased.

Kagome pressed her lips together as she and Midoriko shared one more look. Midoriko raised an arm and Kagome stepped into her hug. They squeezed one another tightly. Midoriko held on a second longer before releasing her. Kagome rubbed a hand across the back of the child's head in silent goodbye. He smiled at her, innocent and oblivious.

The fireflies crowded around his head and he looked to them and pointed, "They say we have to go to the light."

Kagome raised an eyebrow, so the lightening bugs had another purpose, to lead dead souls to the portals. They certainly didn't help live people who accidently fell into this world.

Midoriko seemed amused by the little bugs but she obeyed, they started toward the portal.

"Why does that lady look like you," The boy asked loudly.

Midoriko chuckled, "It's a long story"

He shrugged, "I like stories, tell me."

"Well I suppose I can manage that, it's a scary story though."

He made a face and pointed to the portal, "If I can go through that, nothing in the world is scary."

That made Midoriko laugh and Kagome chuckled.

She turned to Blue, "Give me a hug, I think it's about time for me to go too."

Kagome wrapped her arms around his torso and he put a hand to her back. He poked her in the side a few times and Kagome squirmed, grateful that it only tickled instead of leaving her in mind numbing pain like it had before.

She stepped away and stared into Blue's eyes a minute. He blinked slowly and looked to Midoriko and her new little friend. They stood before the portal with wide eyes. It still looked like a wall of light to Kagome but something had been revealed to the two of them.

The little boy squealed happily and struggled to be let free. Midoriko set him down, he rushed to the light without hesitation and vanished.

"How's it look Midoriko?" Kagome called to her.

Midoriko wrinkled her nose at Kagome; half amused half disapproving. Kagome wasn't dead, it wasn't her place to know what was on the other side.

She waved to them, walked forward confidently, and vanished into the beyond. Kagome looked to her only remaining companion.

"You be good Blue, don't make me come back here."

He snorted and Kagome laughed at him. She walked forward and Blue watched her vanish into thin air.

Kagome was suddenly just awake for no apparent reason. She hadn't drifted into awareness nor did she recall the darkness of sleeps grip, one minute she'd been walking from blue the next…

She blinked uncertainly at an unfamiliar ceiling and unfamiliar walls. Turning her head this way and that, she examined the bare room.

She tried to open her mouth and speak but all that came out was a strange crackling sound that reduced her to a fit of coughing.

Rolling over slowly, she curled into herself trying to stifle her coughs. The noise drew attention. A door Kagome hadn't realized was there slid open and she glanced up surprised.

"Kagome-sama?"

An aqua-green foot rushed past her. Moments later someone was helping her sit up and take a drink. Kagome had never been so thankful for water in her life. The woman pulled the water away what felt like seconds later and Kagome clawed for it blindly.

"I'll get you more. Just hold on."

Kagome moaned softly and released the poor woman. She had the strength to sit up on her own and she wasn't told to do otherwise. The woman moved away and Kagome finally focused on her. The first thing she noticed were the webbed ears waving back and forth absently, next she noticed that the woman was blue, aqua-marine blue with scales that shined in the light. She wore a simple green yukata that complimented her coloring. The strange fish woman turned and Kagome saw grey eyes and flat thin lips. It was as if someone had made a slit across otherwise unblemished skin and told her it was her mouth.

She smiled, a strange sight, just the movement of the corners of her mouth.

"Where'm I?" Kagome croaked before eagerly taking the water and inhaling it.

She coughed and the woman pet her back with a very human shaped hand.

"This is a shrine to the Water God. Lady Aneko bought you here."

Kagome looked up at the familiar name, "Aneko? Aneko is here?" she whispered.

"Yes, lady Kagome. She said to bring you to her when you awoke. Do you think you can handle it right now?"

Kagome held the cup shaking a bit, she didn't think she could stand let alone see Aneko.

The woman frowned a bit, her ears standing out on the sides of her face humorously. "Are you ok Kagome-sama."

"What are you?" Kagome asked weakly.

Webbed ears flapped curiously, "Mist."

That hadn't answered the question but it had helped a little.

"Mist, ok, I got it," Kagome scratched thoughtfully at the back of her neck. Dirt fell away and Kagome made a face as she looked at the mess under her nails. Someone had tried to clean her up but they hadn't gotten all of the mess.

Mist looked at her thoughtfully, "How about a nice hot bath and then we'll see if you're up to seeing the mistress?"

Kagome nodded gratefully. Mist stood and walked gracefully to the door. She stepped out, bowed, then closed it and was gone. Kagome sat a moment unsure of what she'd gotten herself into. She glanced around. The room was four tatami mats long and three mats wide, incredibly big for just one person. The walls were hardly walls but were instead paper sliding screens decorated with paintings of a fields and birds in fight or resting. There was only one solid wall decorated like the sliding screen doors. There were three windows in this solid wall. The furthest window was propped open by a neatly cut stick. Kagome could hear the ocean rolling just outside.

A dusty old wooden closet sat pushed into a corner as if it weren't meant to be used. Beside her sat a water jug on a tray. Other than that, the room was eerily bare.

The door slid open again and Kagome looked to see Mist had returned and she had a friend. They were obviously the same species of…whatever they were, but this one was a beautiful coral pink with pearl colored eyes.

"Come On Kagome-sama, we have a bath ready for you."

Both women came closer and hauled her to her feet. Kagome hissed as her legs tingled uncomfortably.

"Try and walk with us Kagome-sama."

Kagome grumbled her whole way down the hall. It wasn't until two creatures with the heads of koi walked past on thin little legs that Kagome realized something was very wrong. They were obviously bickering, rapidly swatting at each other as they passed.

Now as she looked about, Kagome realized that wasn't the only strange thing making its way through the building.

The halls were busy with all manner of creatures. A frog sauntered down the hall, standing upright like a man and croaking absently as it passed. A dragon made its way past, a beautiful creature of water, it's long whisker caressing her face as it floated on by.

A woman walked past, her hair and clothes were dripping wet. A plain white mask, a single eye drawn in the center, covered her face. She glanced at Kagome curiously before continuing on her way down the hall leaving a trail of water in her wake.

"The hell…" Kagome murmured.

"We're here!" Mist cried happily.

Before she could register what'd been said the coral colored woman pushed the door open revealing a room filled with three large above ground tubs that stood over Kagome's head and were probably large enough to fit a car. She glanced up absently to see the ceiling of the room was gone. There were levers and ropes hanging at the far wall that suggested they could pull the ceiling back over the room if they so chose.

The closest tub steamed invitingly.

A woman sat on a high bar-like stool in a simple yukata she didn't bother trying to make look decent. It hung off her and one bare leg was revealed as she rested her foot on one of the higher footrests. Her hair was a dark reddish brown and it looked as if she had painted makeup on the underside of her eyes instead of over her eyelids.

"So your Anko's new pet," She began, "second one this year."

Kagome frowned, but the two fish-like women stepped in with sharp glares.

"Don't start Dia."

Dia snorted and hoped down from her stool. She pulled the fabric up over her shoulder lest a bit of breast spring free.

"So pet, what's your name?"

Kagome bit her lip and refused to answer. The woman snorted and crossed her arms over her chest, "A stubborn one" She rolled her eyes, "Bring her this way."

Dia turned and walked with the confidence of someone who knew her way around. The two fish women helped Kagome along not bothering to keep up with the other woman's confident stride. Dia slid a door open just past the last bath.

It took a moment for Kagome's eyes adjusted to the dark and she could see Dia moving about. She walked over to a corner, grabbed hold of some rope, and began to pull. The whole room seemed to groan in protest. The ceiling slid away a bit allowing in just the reasonable amount of light. Kagome sighed in thanks and finally allowed herself to glance around. The room's walls were fashioned into wooden shelves and filled with as many jars as would fit. Whatever was contained in those jars made the room smell heavenly in Kagome's opinion.

Dia left the ceiling cracked and turned to Kagome, walking the room as if she were a predator and her new ward the prey. Kagome glance around nervously and was mildly alarmed to find the other two women had vanished.

"What's your favorite scent?"

Kagome blinked in confusion as Dia finally stalked closer and helped Kagome stand again. She tugged at the simple sash of Kagome's yukata and it fell away letting the light cloth slip open. Kagome squealed and tried to cover herself but Dia was having none of that. She moved Kagome's arms, pulled the fabric away and forced Kagome back onto the stool naked. She snorted as the younger woman tried to cover herself yet again.

"I-I don't know," Kagome bit out.

Dia sighed in annoyance and tossed Kagome's yukata over her shoulder like trash.

She came closer and Kagome tensed. Suddenly Dia was in her face, tilting her head this way and that, sniffing her arm, and sniffing her hair.

She finally snorted, "You smell like graveyard soil."

Kagome had the sudden urge to bite her in the face.

Dia smiled at Kagome's anger and she took another sniff of the hair she held.

"Tangy" Dia stuck her tongue out and Kagome was afraid this mad woman would lick her. Dia tasted the air and nodded, "Fruity? Tangy fruit? Oranges perhaps?" She shook her head, "Not quite but let's find a smell that won't clash with your natural scent."

Dia was suddenly rushing away and Kagome was left dazed. The strange woman climbed ladders, lifting leather coverings off pots and sniffing at their contents. Every so often she would take a bowl from a shelf and use it to scoop ingredients from varying pots. Kagome stared as different bowls of things began to pile up around her. At eight bowls Dia finally came over and eyed her.

Kagome blinked at her wide-eyed, feeling exposed and horribly confused.

Dia knelt beside her, took a hand full of some gel from one of the bowls, and smeared it over Kagome's arms. Kagome shivered at the cold concoction. Dia worked with a near obsessive gleam in her eyes.

Kagome's nose began to burn as the scent of tangerines and sweet things nearly overwhelmed her.

"What are you doing," Kagome choked, tears in her eyes.

"Let me work!" the dark haired woman snapped.

Seconds later Kagome squealed and twisted away when a hand groped her chest.

"Stop being a pervert!"

Dia only grinned and Kagome paled, having hoped the comment would make Dia shy away.

A hard squeeze to her left breast had Kagome flailing in alarm. Dia chuckled then paused, "Oh damn, I was having so much fun I forgot to do your hair first."

She tsked and picked up another bowl. Kagome tensed when its contents were dumped on her head. Dia stood behind her and quickly used her fingers to comb the liquid into her dark locks. She twisted Kagome's hair into one long tail and draped it over her shoulder.

Kagome frowned at the white mess mixed in her hair but was distracted when Dia immediately went back to groping her. She yelped angrily and tried to fight her off but the woman ducked her swings expertly with a delighted grin.

Suddenly it was over.

Kagome was smeared with paste and liquids from head to toe. The crazed woman appeared behind her and Kagome shrieked in alarm at the ice-cold water dumped over her head.

Shivering and in shock she barely noticed when Dia began a quick scrub down then abruptly stopped again.

"Come now pet, get up." She helped Kagome stand and walk back into the tub room.

"Get in the water," She ordered. "Can you do it alone?" she asked when Kagome wobbled on her feet. Kagome nodded numbly and climbed up a small set of stairs between the first two tubs. She turned cautiously and slid into the warm water, grateful as it chased away the chill and hid her from the other woman's gaze.

Dia sat on her stool and looked to Kagome with a lazy smirk, "Rinse yourself well pet or I'll be forced to do it for you. Leaving that stuff on you makes you itch something fierce."

Kagome sunk into the water enjoying the way the soap in her hair made her scalp tingle.

"Are you always this perverted or am I just lucky enough to catch you on an outgoing day."

Dia smirked and leaned back in her seat, "I'm always outgoing pet."

Kagome rolled her eyes and the older woman chuckled, "I have to try, I've had the occasional customer who loved my attentions."

The implications ran through Kagome's head like a mantra.

"Lady Anko is always interesting to deal with; perhaps you can join us one day. I assume you're going to be here awhile?"

Kagome blushed and submerged herself completely.

She stayed down as long as she dared and rubbed the paste from her hair.

She could hear loud but distorted voices. Coming above water slowly, she peered at the two servants who had left her to Dia's caring attention. Squinting at them accusingly, the pink woman looked at Kagome and smiled nervously.

Mist smiled brightly at her but Kagome noted how they stood a good two arm lengths away from the crazed head of the baths who grinned wildly at them.

She shot them a heated glare and they both giggled nervously. They obviously knew exactly what they'd left Kagome to face.

"Sorry to interrupt you're bathing time Kagome-sama but milady is impatient."

Kagome huffed at them and submerged herself again.

When she came back up again she climbed from the tub noting how much better she felt. Her stinging muscles only tingled uncomfortably every so often but she could move fine, that was beside the fact she felt the cleanest she'd been in a long time.

The two servants quickly wrapped her in cloth and helped her dry off.

A third servant appeared at the door. A more human looking woman than anyone else Kagome had seen thus far. She did a quick sweep of Kagome's wrapped form before passing over a bundle of cloth to Mist.

Kagome reached out and took the strip of unassuming cloth.

"What's this?" Kagome waved the thin cloth oblivious to the gapping looks she received, even from Dia.

"Urm…undergarment's Kagome-sama."

Kagome blushed, "Oh…well how do I wear it. This is a pair of panties right?"

The three women exchanged looks and Kagome's blush darkened.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yeah…I had a brain baby for this story.

The bath scene is in no way significant to the story, I just had fun writing it. Tell me what you think. if you have a problem with Dia's undertone's that's your own problem, I have no intention of fixing it cause I think it's hilarious. –Shrugs-

**For those people I overwhelmed with information on mistake (I just realized this but am desperate to update something this year. It got complicated without be realizing it.):**

Midoriko believes that Kagome (Middle sister) and Kikyou (Little sister) are the reincarnations of her sisters.

Kagome's soul was fractured in the attempt to make the jewel. Half her soul is the shikon jewel the other half was reincarnated and supported by Kikyou's whole soul thus they worked together to help their older sister.

In Kikyou's attempt to get rid of the jewel we're going to say the jewel grabbed Kikyou's loose soul while it tainted and selfish, and dragged the soul along to its hiding place, Kagome. Kikyou had been wandering around with half a soul for most of the series (Not really, I'm using creative license here so for my story it's true)

When Kikyou was brought back to life, she snatched back the missing half of her soul Kagome had been using as support.

Midoriko was shoved from the jewel when a new sacrifice (Kagome) stepped forward to restrain the evil half of the jewel, thus she was set free from her eternal duty and allowed to pass on. The jewel is balanced by good and evil. Instead of Kagome being sucked into the jewel to be it's good half, the jewel was melded with her soul giving her a bad half. Balance…

Things for the hell of it:

Mist(s) is supposed to confuse you (lol, you'll get more when the need strikes me)

Dia came from the same part of my brain that created Blue. Enough said.


	6. Rules of the Trade

As of the 14th I am a college grad and it's very freaky. I don't feel very smart either and if anything my writing has gotten worse instead of better. I can write a decent academic paper but my creative writing is…urm….Ahem. Woe is me. Well, here is a chapter of Twisted moon. There is a lot of information so bare with me until I get it to my beta for reading. Oh! By the way, I have betas now so hopefully the chapters will get better. I have a beta for Twisted Moon and another beta for No Such Thing as Fate. WHOOT! Ummm Yeah, let's get started.

Twisted Moon

Chapter 6: Rules of the Trade

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Ugh!"

Aneko brandished her wand like a throwing knife. Across the room, a jar popped into the air like a plastic child's toy. A blur tore across the area and she hissed angrily ignoring the crash and sound of scattering glass.

She turned eyeing the cluttered room warily. The tables were crowded with all manner of containers and paperwork, old battle worn closets were open allowing scrolls to spill out onto the ground, random bits of powdered and pickled ingredients dusted the floor creating a strange but colorful painting and all of this kept her from catching her prey. Walking the room slowly, she kicked a jar cap aside and listened to it slide across the floor. Another cabinet, one that amazingly could close, creaked ominously and swung slowly on its hinges.

Aneko's gaze did a wary sweep of the room as she stepped closer to the open closet door. It was quiet, almost peaceful, belying the epic battle waging between beast and womanish creature. The witch took a breath before wrenching open the doors of her good cabinet. With a snake's speed, she shoved her hands into cluttered shelves, scaring every creature hiding amongst the mess, all but the one she wanted. An old candle rolled out and fell to the floor.

The promise of death in her eyes, she swore painful torture upon the moth that drunkenly flittered away.

Just in the corner of her eye, a dark form appeared. It dropped down from the underside of a table, landed on its feet, and made a mad dash for the window.

There was a loud crack as she expertly shot a burst of dark colored magic from her staff. The window crutch fell away and the panel snapped closed. The blur slid across the powder-dusted floor and looked at her in alarm. Aneko hissed at the red fox that had crept into her study.

The Kitsune was cornered, hunched like a wild dog, ready in fight or flight state of mind; at least she thought so.

Purple eyes were calm, laughing, mocking.

Aneko's expression twisted in hatred.

"Damn fox, I'll make a pelt of you!"

Her threats in no way stopped the creature from teasing her. It yipped mockingly dancing about, weaving through her mess and dodging her attacks. The bells of her wand chimed sweetly, giving life to deadly projectiles. The Kitsune slid and swirled across the room on filth, vanishing into the clutter again. Aneko sighed and stood waiting for it to make its move.

Suddenly, the door slid open. Kagome stood in the doorway blinking uncertainly while two servants peered over her shoulder.

She provided enough of a distraction.

The Kitsune made a wild dash for freedom. Oblivious to the foxhunt in progress, Kagome quickly stepped into the room, blocked his path, and cooed. She slid the door closed behind her and blinked at the small beast curiously.

In return, he looked at her horrified.

Aneko cackled evilly and the fox glanced at her with the first hints of fear in his eyes. "Come here kit, aren't you just so cute," She mocked between high pitch coos.

A lunge to the left, a jingle, and a burn appeared in the wall seconds away from where the kit would have stepped. An attempt to go the other way resulted in the same.

Kagome stood tense in alarm, glancing at the scorch marks on either side of the door. Aneko flipped her hair, smiling with pride in her eyes. Only she could make violence appear fashionable.

"Why are you scaring him like that, did he pee on something?"

Silence reigned; very serious and piteous gazes considered Kagome. Whether it is for her stupidity or her general ignorance of the situation, one could only ponder.

Kagome smiled down at the fox. "He is so cute. Your pet?"

A hush lingered like the odor of foul old eggs. Kagome wiggled uncertainly realizing she'd said something that struck the two before her as odd, though she couldn't figure out what.

Aneko snapped from her daze first. The twirl of her wand prepared the next attack but the fox thought fast. He easily slid behind Kagome's legs.

Kagome thought that Sesshomaru and Aneko could exchange notes on effective death glares because until now, she'd never met anyone who could match him.

"Kagome move!"

"You have to promise not to hurt him? I bet he's sorry for peeing on your things and making a mess," Kagome nodded sagely.

Aneko felt the bubble of laughter well up in her chest

"He's so cute, did you make a bed for him yet?" Kagome asked with all the innocence of a certifiable idiot.

…perhaps that laughter clawing up her throat was heartburn, the sheer effort it took not to strangle Kagome stirred all sorts of strange chemicals in the body.

Teeth flashed and snout skin folded as the Kitsune at Kagome's feet bit back a snarl and the urge to bite his only protection.

Unaware, Kagome was spared a trip to the future for rabies shots when Aneko stepped forward and snatched the obstacle between her and her prey. A blur of red tore across the room and vanished into the abyss – under a table.

Defeated by a rodent no bigger than a terrier, the witch let her shoulders droop in disappointment.

"Go sit down Kagome."

Aneko motioned to a low table across the room. Strangely enough, this area seemed untouched by the general trashed state of the room.

Kagome nodded, paused, and turned to open the door but Aneko caught her.

"Nevermind the servants, go do as I said. They've already gone."

Kagome hesitated but obeyed as Aneko turned. She walked away to rummage through the mess of her tables. It was suddenly apparent to Kagome that everyone she'd met thus far had mental issues but she kept her thoughts to herself as Aneko took a seat across from her. With a sigh, the witch laid her wand out on the table.

Settled and as calm as she was going to get, Aneko examined the piece of work before her. Perhaps not approving of what she'd found, she wrinkled her nose and snorted at Kagome. Displeasure was apparent in her expression as she took the younger woman's chin.

"Takumi-Masubi" She tsked, "Only you could tie yourself to such a monster. You probably tried to put a bow in his hair too." With a huff, Aneko crossed her arms over her chest.

Kagome rubbed her chin, "What are you talking about. What happened to me?"

"You died," Aneko responded dryly.

Kagome's eyes narrowed in irritation, "I know that but what happened?"

"You died in the battle with Naraku."

Fingers found Kagome's temple to ease a coming headache. Aneko grinned spitefully.

"You sure took your time coming back. I was prepared to put you back in your grave."

Kagome shuddered at the thought of waking up in her tomb, "I'm glad you didn't but where am I, What happened while I was…asleep?"

Aneko heaved a breath, "I brought you here and simply waited for you to come back from the spirit realm."

Still confused, Kagome glanced around the room.

"Where are we?"

Aneko smiled, shoulders lifting with pride. "We are at the temple of the Water God. It is a place of rest for him and his servants."

Kagome stared, "The god you serve?"

Aneko nodded, "The average witch or warlock receives their powers from one of the gods. You receive your powers from another god while I receive mines from the ruler of all the seas, Ebisu. This is the existence of a witch, though I have no idea what you're going to do. Those with common sense avoid Yue for a reason," she sneered, "I can't even use you; there is no temple to Yue that I can recall. Apparently, you're the only person who would beg to be a servant to such a creature."

Kagome waved a dismissive hand and Aneko twitched in irritation, "Who are these people, Yue and Takumi-Masubi? I didn't ask to be anyone's servant."

"Takami-Masubi is the god of the skies. He supports the sun and moon but most people with COMMON SENSE avoid him. Those of our inner circle would call him Yue. The saying goes that when dark skies find you in the spirit realm, only death can protect you from his cruelty."

Aneko's dramatic description was not appreciated.

Some part of Kagome recognized the name. The report of dark skies following an old friend of hers brought up fresh memories and she was suddenly able to put a face to the description.

"Takami-Masubi…you mean Blue," Kagome mused. "He's just a big brat. All he needed was a good scolding it's not worth ignoring him over."

Aneko's eye twitched, "Blue?"

Kagome waved a hand, "I just call him Blue 'cause he's, well, blue."

Aneko stared then nodded firmly as if coming to a decision: "You are an ignorant little thing."

Kagome blushed in shame but before she could defend herself Aneko continued, "Well, you are now his servant. I'm surprised he didn't kill you for calling him whatever name you liked, he certainly kills everyone else."

Aneko found herself highly unnerved by Kagome's baffled and embarrassed expression. She couldn't help but ask, "You did go and show your respect to him right?"

Kagome stared and Aneko continued on, "he has never taken a servant before so you had to do something pretty amazing. You were there longer than normal so I'm certain you were able to think of something to dodge being killed by him…"

Recognition lit Kagome's face and she nodded like a foreigner being sold dog poo, "Actually I bit him."

Aneko gave a short laugh, "You did what? That's nonsense. What really happened?"

Kagome snorted, "He kept poking me and it hurt like hell so I threatened to bite him. He did it again and I bit him."

Aneko let out a loud mocking laugh but tinged with fear. Kagome rolled her eyes.

The older woman suddenly reared up and slammed her hands on the table. "You did what!" She roared in Kagome's face.

"I. bit. him."

Aneko trembled in laughter but there was panic in her gaze, "You bit a god! You can't do that!" she cried.

"I did and he stopped being an ass. I told you all he needed was a scolding."

"You cannot bite a GOD!"

"Says you, you weren't there being stalked and poked." Kagome retorted calmly, confused by Aneko's alarm.

It was only Blue.

Dabbing delicately at her forehead with a decorated kimono sleeve, Aneko sat down slowly.

"Ok," she breathed out slowly, "what did you do after that?"

Kagome shrugged, "Explored, kept Blue from poking people, etc."

Aneko blinked once and stared for a long moment.

"You didn't beg to be spared or taken on as a servant – anything like that?"

Kagome shook her head looking irritated, "How was I supposed to do all that when you wouldn't tell me anything!"

"I don't know, how about common sense!"

Both women huffed at one another.

Kagome drummed her fingers absently on the table. Aneko's eyes narrowed and zeroed in on the other girls fingers but Kagome continued to drum, ignoring the blood tinged glare she got. "How did you know who I'd been talking to anyway?"

"Every witch worth the attention serves a god, we are their vision of the world," The sea witch recited loftily.

The strange look Aneko got was not missed, "It means our eyes mark us. The gods see the world through us. We are the mediators between the mortal realm and the plain of spirits and gods."

Kagome seemed awed by the description but still a bit confused.

"For example my eyes are the ocean." Kagome stared for the first time noticing Aneko's strange eye color: the darkest depths one moment then a lighter shade that quickly faded back to deep sea blue moments later.

"That's amazing, does that mean…"

"Yes, _your_ eyes reflect your masters," Aneko assured.

"Blue isn't my master!"

There was silence as Kagome fidgeted. Aneko smirked and stood to move about the room lazily.

A glimpse of red caught Kagome's attention. She glanced over to see the mischievous kitsune from earlier inching across the room. The clatter of bottles startled them both and Kagome chuckled as the fox darted behind her and peered out at Aneko.

The witch stared with gleaming eyes. She chose an item amongst the mess, what appeared to be a serving platter, and came back to her seat. Kagome watched Aneko twirl the pan uncertainly before she rubbed her hand across its face; smoothing away scratches and leaving behind a mirror like surface. Aneko considered her own reflection before passing the platter on to Kagome.

"Is that me?"

Suddenly Aneko reached for her wand, her archenemy 'damned fox' leapt onto Kagome's lap. Still rather oblivious to the situation, Kagome squeezed the fox close like one would a kitten.

While he struggled, Aneko pondered ways to maim the beast as she watched him flail like a dying fish.

"My eyes!"

Aneko jumped in alarm and looked back to Kagome confused, "What?"

"My eyes look freaky," Kagome complained staring into once brown orbs, her pupils were a dark yellow instead of the normal black and the brown of her eyes had turned a very pale yellow.

"Yellow? I look blind," Kagome whined, mourning the loss.

"Not yellow," Aneko scolded, "Moonlight. I'd like it if not for the fact those eyes speak of painful death for us normal people," she eyed Kagome with what might have been labeled disgust.

Kagome sat the platter down, dully noting that the fox was suddenly docile in her arms. Opposite them, Aneko stroked the wand in her hands lovingly, watching the fox like a starving man might watch a bowl of rice.

"Ok fine. How did you know I would come back, I could swear I had died in that battle."

"You did die and your cursed little bead destroyed Naraku to bring balance in the world," Aneko announced with a shrug.

Her thoughts were suddenly cluttered and fuzzy. Kagome struggled to focus on the subject at hand.

"Midoriko said I was alive."

"Midoriko?"

Kagome nodded, "I – um – met her in the spirit realm."

"Ah strange, but what do I truly know about that land," Aneko shrugged, "Well, I knew you would come back to life. I didn't waste my time only to have you not come back."

Kagome felt a chill run up her spine.

"I died in battle. It had nothing to do with you."

Aneko shrugged again, "You were going to die anyway. I wasn't going to let you waste all my work. Still, had the battle come a day earlier you would be long gone, it's a good thing luck was on my side."

"What do you mean I was going to die!" Kagome sputtered.

Aneko rolled her eyes, "How did you think you were getting to the spirit realm? You were to fall ill, die a 'natural death', and my spells were to preserve your body and provide an anchor for your soul after it had matured properly. All witches should die and go to explore the spirit realm. There is much to learn there before you begin your apprenticeship."

Kagome trembled in alarm, "I-I had to die to become a witch?"

"Well no-"

"Then what the hell are you talking about!"

"Oh hush apprentice, I did you a favor." Aneko cooed to the outraged woman across from her. "A witch who goes to the spirit realm while alive cannot learn and mature in the way a witch separated from her body by death can. Those weaker witches are quickly cast aside. Do you want to be left on your own or placed in one of those lesser sects with no respectable clan ties?"

Aneko waved a hand dismissively and Kagome stared in horror.

"What's this about Naraku," Kagome tried, desperate to change the conversation.

Aneko indulged with a smirk, "If the most powerful Miko is destroyed, to bring back some balance and protect itself, the jewel had to get rid of Naraku. Selfish little bead if you ask me."

There was much about the Shikon Jewel that Aneko didn't know and Kagome didn't intend to tell her.

"But I'm back. Does that mean Naraku has to return too?"

Aneko laughed, "You aren't the world's most powerful Miko anymore. There is balance, and so no all-powerful evil is needed to cause its havoc. It doesn't really stop the collective efforts of the small fries but..." The sea witch suddenly seemed disinterested. Aneko waved a hand gracefully and an intricate silk fan appeared in her hand. She hummed and began to fan herself absently.

Kagome stared wanting to comment but deciding against it. She still felt as if she were missing parts of the conversation even though Aneko was before her laying out the story as best she could.

She suddenly paused and let the conversation sit on replay in her mind.

"I'm not a miko anymore?"

"How can you be a demon and a miko you stupid girl," Aneko asked irritably.

The insult did a cartwheel clear over Kagome's head.

"I'm a demon?"

She'd been aware because of Midoriko, but Aneko's confirmation somehow drove the fact home.

"Yes, you are a demon, and a witch, and my stupid little apprentice," Aneko cooed. Kagome got the impression that Aneko would have pet her head indulgently had it not required the witch to move. Aneko, however, didn't know that Kagome was in a biting mood right then and Aneko had nothing on Blue when it came to scary things one didn't mess with – or bite.

Meanwhile, Kagome was oblivious to the insults.

"I don't feel like a demon," She blurted out.

"I cast a spell on you. Can't you sense the magic around you? Can't you sense anything?"

Kagome sat quiet a long moment. She'd always been able to feel youki on the edge of her senses, now there was nothing. It was…quiet.

"Nooo," she whimpered tearfully.

"Don't cry now apprentice. What's done is done, you must move forward."

Aneko received a glare.

"Aren't youkai super-powered or something? I don't smell anything, I don't hear anything weird."

"I just told you I cast a spell over you. I can't teach an insane apprentice. Your new abilities would overwhelm you and so I tucked them away for a short while." Aneko paused as if realizing something and she turned with a dead serious expression on her face, "I didn't warn you about many things but I will warn you about this."

Kagome swallowed nervously.

"First, youkai hearing will come to you, it is going to hurt and all you can do is wait until your mind and body adjust. Once you get past that you'll find your own ways to cope with the other changes."

There was silence between them. Kagome rubbed at the kitsune's back. Though he wiggled and growled irritably, he didn't move to leave her lap.

Kagome picked up the tray again and turned her head. She freed her hand from red fur and trailed a finger over the pointed tip of her ear. "I don't believe this," She murmured numbly.

"It is a lot to take in," Aneko agreed.

"I was killed in battle, how is my body still–"

"Functioning?"

"Yeah"

"That was quite annoying. Returning to a badly wounded body is rather counterproductive. I've been working at it awhile. Your body healed itself as long as we were careful with you and applied medicines, a bit of magic helped you along too."

Kagome grunted, "I feel fine, it's like none of this really happened. How long was I out?"

Aneko shrugged, "You were in the ground for about three months while the standard time for trials in the spirit realm is six months…" Kagome shuddered but said nothing.

"I'd say you've been gone a year."

Kagome's eyes widened, "A year!"

"More or less"

"I've been _dead_ a year! What do you mean more or less!"

Aneko shrugged and Kagome moaned.

"It felt like I was only with Blue for a few days," she sighed.

"Time in the spirit realm is very different than time here." Aneko sighed, "Anymore questions?"

Kagome nodded shortly, "You said my soul had to mature for me to be a good witch or something like that?"

"I'm not sitting here with you for my health Kagome, What do you mean or something like that? I'll kick you out I have no time for idiots"

Kagome nodded quickly, "But about the soul thing."

Aneko rolled her eyes, "Yes, your soul had to mature for you to become a witch. The 6 months in that realm ages the soul about a thousand years."

"You mean to tell me my soul is over two thousand years old?"

"Or something like that," Aneko mocked.

"Sensei!"

"What!"

"My soul!"

"Yes, your soul needs to be a certain 'age' to handle being a witch. That little trip in no way matured your mind and body because you're still a stupid little apprentice."

Kagome scowled, already tired of the insults. Aneko glared, already tired of Kagome.

"The purpose of your trip was to shove tons of information into your rock solid skull over a short period of time. Don't worry though, you still have plenty of studying to do."

Kagome easily picked through the bullshit and insults.

"What kind of information did I learn?"

"Who is who, what gods do what, what spirits do what and why you piss some off while you leave others alone. The basics."

Aneko leaned forward curiously, "Speaking of souls. Where is the Shikon jewel?"

Kagome's thoughts slid to a halt.

_It's not here._

Her thoughts floundered uncertainly, going through lies and cover stories for no apparent reason other than fear not quite Kagome's own. She heard the lie in her own thoughts; she knew exactly where the jewel was. The wish made, things had gone as everyone had assumed they would except the jewel was supposed to have vanish ending this cycle of hell on earth. In a sense, it had vanished. It'd gone to completing Kagome's apparently fractured soul. Still, for some odd reason Aneko's question made Kagome decidedly nervous.

"It's gone for good," Kagome lied, a little too easily for her own tastes.

Aneko's nostrils flared (only she could make the action appear feminine) and a smile curled her lips.

"I can smell your petty lie apprentice."

Some part of Kagome was wary but she only smiled, "I'm a witch sensei, don't witches lie all the time?"

Aneko nodded allowing her that victory.

Kagome pet the kitsune in her lap hoping to divert attention, "You don't strike me as the pet type sensei?"

Aneko's gaze darted to the fox youkai and she sneered, "He's not my pet, he is an ingredient for a spell."

Kagome held him close, "You can't kill him for a stupid spell sensei."

Aneko looked like she would bite Kagome's face off and it didn't help that the fox blinked innocently at her as if to add more insult to injury.

"He's going to die whether you like it or not."

"But he's cute, can I keep him. I'll keep him from irritating you."

"Kagome!"

"_Oh please Sensei_." She pouted with those wide eerie colored eyes. Aneko only stiffened in anger.

"No! Katsu is-"

"His name is Katsu, how cute!"

Aneko gave up, too tired by the question and answer session they'd just finished.

"Get out you little twit!"

"Who are you calling a twit you-" Kagome only slapped a hand over her mouth in alarm but Aneko didn't seem particularly offended.

"Get out or I'm going to turn you into a rat for your damn pet to play with."

"I can have him!" Kagome cried excitedly.

Aneko gripped the table.

"I hope he gnaws your ears off."

Kagome squeezed Katsu tightly and the fox yipped sharply. The sound of the gagging beast made some part of Aneko skitter in delight. She smirked at the creature who looked miserable but seemed willing to play the pet to escape certain death with Aneko.

"Out!"

Kagome hopped to her feet with poor Katsu in her arms and scrambled from the room.

Aneko sat a moment breathing deeply before finally slumping forward, letting her forehead produce a lovely cracking sound when it met nthe table.

A low moan rang in the room.

"Damn twit, I never finished warning her."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

This was a nightmare.

Kagome stared blindly ahead at a wall. She worked to remain perfectly still, she didn't want to move, she didn't want to breathe, she just wanted the pain to stop.

Another crash of the waves outside made her body shake in pain.

It felt like someone was shoving something sharp and jagged her ear. It was as if her eardrums had been turned into Congo drums. It felt like every beat of her heart would make her head explode.

The side of her face itched and her ears itched even more. Something warm made its way down her face and across the bridge of her nose. The sound of liquid hitting the floor reached her with startling clarity.

She glanced down with petrified-open eyes. Little drops of blood stained the mats. She moaned in pain then immediately went quiet when she was sure an earthquake had started.

The sliding screens squealed on their tracks and tears spilled from her eyes. She stared at the accursed door that slid open gratingly slow and the bare feet that entered. How could something so simple cause so much noise? How could someone breathe so loud? Why the hell-

Kagome let out a horrid shriek watching feet scamper across the floor toward her. She bit her tongue to shut herself up just as black danced across her vision. The blood was a distraction but a short lived one. Warmth ran down the side of her face. She whimpered but didn't make a sound beyond that. The person banging through her room seemed oblivious to her pain. She wasn't coherent enough to even tense as someone uncurled her body from the fetal position so that she could be turned on her back. Kagome could hear every rumple of her clothing and the crinkle of every strand of hair.

After hours of screaming and suffering, shock finally set in. She stared at the ceiling dead to the world yet somehow aware of everything.

"Her ears are bleeding!"

"She tried to bite her tongue off, what's wrong with her!"

An attempt to keep what was left of her sanity finally kicked in with a vengeance. Her mind pulled the plug; the white noise, her vision, faded with a low hum and click.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

**"I wonder what you taste like?"**

Kagome's eyes opened a bit. She saw red and eerie purple eyes watching her.

**"I could kill you now, end your suffering. A miko turned demon, shame!"**

A pause.

**"…suicide makes sense for you."**

A Cheshire grin

**"But that's no fun. I'll make that bitch pay and you've guaranteed my life."**

Kagome felt her mind slip away once more.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The sound of rain pattering against the roof was almost bliss.

Kagome glanced around uncertainly. Everything was muted grey. The smell of ocean and alcohol reached her from some far off place. The waves and rain sounded like the deafening roar of a crowd. It was continuous, thankfully never getting louder or softer. It was something you could ignore with strong enough will.

The wind whistled fighting to get through cracks and crevices of her walls. Kagome shut her eyes to concentrate on the rain instead, knowing the sharp whistle would hurt more than the lull of water hitting water.

The wind stopped soon enough and Kagome concentrated on the noises in the temple, the unmeasured erratic noises of life. Footsteps echoed in the halls. Murmurs of voices reached her but were so quiet she was able to brush them aside. There was a hum in the walls. It was like the electricity you were only aware of once you turned everything off and paused. Once aware of the noise in the walls, she noticed that the floor moved to a slight sway. It was like being in a boat and she wasn't quite sure how she felt about that.

There were footsteps, closer than any of the others. It was a second later that she realized everyone had been avoiding her door, her hall.

A hand touched the door and Kagome tensed ready for pain.

Instead of screeches and the grating sound of a door sliding on unsmoothed wood, it was the sound of paper tearing in silence, apparently made louder by an invisible speaker phone.

"You're awake?"

The voice came as if spoken from a funnel. It echoed in Kagome's head but she could bare it, she could still function.

"If you lay here you're going to continue suffering. You need something to occupy your mind; to block out the noise."

Kagome propped herself up, swaying to the rocking movements of the waves crashing outside. Aneko stood in the doorway oblivious to her pupil's predicament. She wore robes of emperor green, her black hair had been pulled up, and she'd been decorated with jewelry. Around her neck, wrist, and ankles were bits of gold, beautiful stones, and trinkets worthy of her body.

She looked at Kagome, eyes shifting rapidly between midnight and ice blues.

"Get up and come to my study."

Aneko began to close the door but Kagome called out to her.

"I don't know the way," She whispered weakly, satisfied when her head didn't split in pain.

Aneko sniffed hauntingly, "You have a nose don't you, learn to use it."

With that, she shut the door.

Kagome sat in shock a long moment before she only lay back down…slowly.

Two hours later found her at the door staring at the painted screens as if they were her worst enemy. She pried the screen open and stood in the doorway a moment. She squinted into the dark halls, spotting small fashionable torches hanging fastened to the walls. Halves of glass orbs sat in gold hoops and eerie blue fire hovered a few inches above the glass candleholders. They lit very little of the hall, creating a creepy atmosphere, but they gave you something to search for and move toward as you wandered in the dark.

_You have a nose don't you, learn to use it._

With the roll of her eyes, she took a deep breath through her nose that had her coughing violently seconds later. There were so many scents, most of which burned her nose. There was the smell of the sea, strong and heady; the musky aroma of food reached her, bamboo wood, paint, moldy marsh. Kagome gagged and gave another sniff searching for something a little more Aneko like.

She didn't catch the witch-demon's scent but there was a light smelling perfume that struck her. Focusing in on that scent, she followed it down the hall.

Her stomach turned upon reaching a well-used and very funky intersection in the hall.

Kagome groaned and turned to go back the way she'd come when a man walked past. He was all wiry muscle on a thin old body. The only bit of clothing he wore was a loincloth, and a full length apron splattered with frightening and unmentionable things. He paused, squatted as if it hurt his legs to stand straight like any normal person, and considered her with large beady eyes that threatened to fall from his head. He puckered his lips as if to blow a kiss and stared at her.

Totosai apparently had a cousin.

Kagome swayed feeling a bit ill, he smelled of fish guts and urine. The fact that he smelled of those two things together bothered Kagome like nothing else. It was when he suddenly gave a whooping laugh that the young witch knew he was evil hell spawn sent specifically to torment her. He smacked her on the back like one would an old buddy and continued to laugh, "Drink a little too much did you?"

It was something frightening that made them both pause when Kagome actually growled at him. Not her annoyed little human growls, but an actual growl that would have made Inuyasha stare and practice his own growls. The strange man blinked at her before waving a dismissive hand, "You human looking demonesses' always have bad attitudes. Don't go vomiting in the halls or something." He stood up straight and looked ready to walk off, but Kagome caught his arm.

He looked back and Kagome smiled tightly, her face taking on a frightening green tinge. "Can you tell me where to find Aneko?"

Looking as if he would deny her, they stood a long moment. He finally sighed before lifting a gnarled shrunken little finger and pointing down the hall, "That way, past two halls and to the left."

Kagome released him and bowed slowly, "Thank you," She whispered.

She turned and rushed away as quickly as her headache would let her. The only open door in the hall revealed Aneko's location. For all the pain she'd suffered through, the soft glow of orange candle light soothed her eyes and eased the throbbing of her head.

Aneko stood at a podium, absently thumbing through what had to be the biggest tome Kagome had ever lay eyes on.

"Finally get up did you apprentice?" Aneko glanced up like a wary mother scolding her child who liked to sleep till three in the afternoon.

Kagome stared at her miserably.

"Why didn't you warn me?"

"I did try to warn you," Aneko retorted. "But what is a warning anyway. There was nothing that could be done to spare you that part of transformation. Humans idealize being demon, make hypersensitive hearing sound like the greatest thing since breathing. It has its good points but as you now know, it has its bad points."

Aneko eyed Kagome, her eyes light colored like sea foam, "Congrats on your first step to being an angry and irritable female demoness."

"You say that as if I'll always be in pain" Kagome whispered, unaware that she stood trembling in fear at the thought.

"You'll learn to control it, you've already learned to adjust your hearing to make it here. I imagine the sound of a laugh or your own heartbeat would have left you in horrible pain otherwise." Aneko's eyes gleamed and Kagome sighed realizing she'd been heard all the way down the hall.

"Why did you want me to come here?" Kagome asked quietly.

Aneko stepped from behind the podium and moved about the room, her jewelry tinkling lightly.

"There is information you need and I want you to start reading."

"Reading what?"

Aneko hummed in thought before she beckoned Kagome. They made their way through the messy room and Aneko stopped before a closet and opened the cracked door.

Scrolls were revealed, crammed into every inch of space available. Kagome stared in fascination, the avid reader in her squealing in delight. Everything else forgotten, she stepped forward and touched the scrolls in fascination.

"Are all these yours?"

Aneko sniffed, "Of course they are you silly child."

Kagome looked back to the bulging closet of scrolls with fascination in her eyes. Aneko's face shined with approval. Kagome appeared to be a fellow scholar and that made her life so much easier. Other witches complained that their students couldn't read or refused to read, Aneko found she'd been blessed.

"Take one" Aneko coaxed quietly.

Kagome licked her lips before stepping forward and grabbing hold of a dingy yellow scroll. It took a while but she was able to pry it away from the others. Kagome finally stood before Aneko with a glowing smile as she examined the parchment curiously.

"It's old" Kagome said uncertainly.

"That was my first scroll" Aneko responded coolly.

Kagome blushed, "I didn't mean it that way, I just don't want to tear it."

Aneko's eye's gleamed in amusement. "You're right and if you rip any of these I'll ring your neck." Kagome paled as Aneko continued, "Your duty is to go and study these scroll and to copy down the directions for your own use. One day you and your apprentice will stand before a full closet of scrolls and you will direct them to do the same."

Kagome glanced at the scroll she held then back to Aneko.

"What is it," Kagome asked quietly.

"It's a spell, one of the basics. This particular scroll turns your magic into light. I personally think it's better than candles," Aneko explained. In a decidedly good mood, she called her student over to the podium. She placed Kagome before the book and put a delicately manicured finger to the page.

"When you have mastered all the scrolls in this room, I will allow you to begin making your own spells." The two females glanced at one another and had anyone looked in, it would have appeared a mother teaching her daughter.

"You will write down the special spells of your own creation and put them in your own spellbook. When the time comes I will teach you to make your spell book, and how to enchant it for your use only."

Kagome frowned, "Why does it need to be enchanted?"

"Because there are idiots in the world," Aneko sighed in exasperation, "and on the other end we have genius's that can steal you're spells and use them against you. For example, we have a fox youkai amongst us." Aneko pointed to the door where Katsu walked past at that second. The fox glanced up, his eyes flashing red as he sauntered past without a care.

Kagome hardly saw the little fox as a threat, but she didn't doubt that he would get into trouble with the right resources.

"Besides casting spells to keep the common folk out of our secrets, how do you expect to organize your book? There are spells that fit in multiple categories and there are spells that don't fit into any categories at all."

Kagome shrugged, "Well it can be organized alphabetically."

Aneko looked at Kagome as if she'd grown a second nose. She shoved her apprentice aside irritably and Kagome cried out angrily. Aneko held her hand over the book and Kagome stared as the pages slowly began turn, quickly picking up speed.

"You should be able to think of what you want your spell to do and the book will provide a few options."

Kagome nodded, her eyes glowing in fascination.

Aneko took Kagome's scroll and unrolled the parchment. She scanned it quickly and nodded, "I expect you to have studied and copied this scroll before nightfall." She shoved the scroll back into Kagome's hands as her young apprentice flailed wildly.

"But I don't know what I'm doing , why do I have to learn so fast!" She hissed.

Aneko snorted, "You sit down and study, how else do you learn it. I'll have a servant come fetch you when I'm ready for you."

Kagome stood staring stupidly, rocking back and forth.

"What are you doing girl," Aneko asked with huff.

Kagome blushed, "Well I don't have anything to write with or any paper."

Aneko blinked as if realizing this fact. She walked around the podium and considered her trashed study warily. "I have paper somewhere in here…"

She walked to a table and prodded at foam looking mess under an unrolled scroll. With a grunt she moved on, walking carefully across her ingredient painted floor. She paused and looked up, "Ah, found them," She grabbed an armful of scrolls and walked over with a calm smile. Behind her, a disturbed jar fell to the floor and shattered glass across the floor.

Aneko tsked, "Now I have to clean," She complained.

"Good luck with that," Kagome replied immediately.

Aneko shot her the nastiest glare and Kagome shrunk in on herself. She wasn't very surprised when the sea witch shoved the parchment in her arms.

"Get to work apprentice."

"Why do I have to do this all today, you're going to get me blown up or something."

Aneko turned, her good humor gone, "You're my apprentice and you're going to assist me with my work, you're going to be my guinea pig, and you're going to learn even if I have to beat it into you, and you're going to do what I say or you can get out."

Kagome gulped.

"I need light to work at night and you just volunteered," Aneko sniffed.

Kagome pressed her lips together, wanting to protest but common sense made her reconsider.

"D-Do I get a wand to practice with or something?" She asked hopefully.

Aneko blinked at Kagome surprised before throwing her head back and laughing, "A wand? For you, a mere apprentice? What do you need a wand for," The sea witch squealed in laughter.

Kagome blushed, feeling horribly foolish.

"So that I can practice. Isn't that's how it's supposed to work?"

Aneko hopped in laughter and Kagome's face turned an unflattering shade of red.

"Get out of here you little brat! I'm not giving you a wand. Why would I make it easy for you!" Anko snarled going from gleeful to royally pissed in seconds. Kagome gasped and looked like she would flee but she stood her ground.

"Why are you still here? Would you like for me to scream your ears bloody," Aneko asked sweetly.

Kagome refused to be intimidated.

"I need ink," she said dryly.

"Oh," Aneko leaned back, glancing to the ceiling thoughtfully.

"I suppose you do, I'll have a servant bring you your supplies," Aneko assured with a dismissive wave. "Now that doesn't mean you can't actually read and practice before your supplies arrive."

Kagome paused in surprise.

"Go on shoo, it's past midday and I'll make _you_ clean my study if you don't have that spell ready to show me later."

Kagome cursed under her breath and was out the door like lightening. Aneko threw her head back and laughed once more.

"Keep that red rat out of my hall too," Aneko yelled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

That was a confusing chapter. Tell me what you think readers, I always love a review.


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